Pearl
by Marvel
Summary: I can't say I was a Norrington fan, but I think I've turned myself into one. Pearl, Jack's daughter, kidnaps the Turners on her father's orders and a smitten Norrington gives chase.
1. Bethany

Pearl

Chapter 1

Author's Note: Be nice. I love this story, and I hope you love it too. Be patient, the beginning is a little slow. Hey, I have to set it up right?

Disclaimer: Well, they may not be mine but I have Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom tied up in my basement. If they are very good (or bad, depending on my mood) I may let them out to do a PotC sequel.

"Father, please, it truly doesn't matter whether the lilies are pink or maroon colored. They're flowers all the same, and they will look lovely," Elizabeth told the rather distraught older man.

"Nonsense. You order pink shaded flowers and you shall have them. I want everything to be perfect for your wedding."

"And it will be, Father," she soothed him. "It is all the same to me. They are nearly the same color, after all. Why don't you go inform Madam Freslie that the maroon shall be fine?" she suggested, steering him toward the door.

They both started in surprise when opening the door revealed not only a servant dutifully stringing roses into the lattice beside the door, but also a woman in fine silks offering advice on how to do so.

"Excuse me Miss, may I help you?"

The woman looked up in surprise, smoothing her slightly rumpled and marginally wet gown in surprise. "I apologize, Sir, and I certainly hope you may help me. Might you be Governor Swan?"

"I am," he answered. "And you are?"

"Miss Maltrey. Bethany Maltrey, if you will," she added, dropping a curtsy to him. She looked up at them, apparently expecting some exclamation of recognition. When she got none she sighed deeply. "Then you did not receive my letter."

"I apologize, Miss Maltrey, but what letter?" Governor Swan asked.

"My mother and I, we sent you a letter telling of my coming. We had heard the ship was waylaid, but we had hoped it to be merely a rumor." She wrung her white gloved hands gently. "The name Miss Maltrey means nothing to you? I am your late wife's niece, Governor Swan. Elizabeth's cousin. I sought to visit, for the wedding. Her mother would not have liked her having her day without an abundance of family."

"Yes," the Govenor said suddenly, attempting to sound convincing. "Bethany, you say? Yes, I do believe I recall a niece named Bethany." He seized her hand suddenly, leading her into the shade of the marble foyer. "I apologize for my rudeness. Look how I've slipped! This is Elizabeth, of course."

Trying to hide her chuckle, Elizabeth nodded her greeting.

"Not at all!" Bethany said quickly. "It is entirely my fault. Coming the very evening before the wedding, and totally unannounced. In fact, I should seek lodging elsewhere. I would not wish to inconvenience you any further."

"Nonsense!" Elizabeth cried. "You'll stay here and that's the last word I'll hear of it. You can help with the arrangements, if it wouldn't be too much bother. You seem to have a hand for it."

"You really are too kind," she said.

"Father, why don't you see to the flowers? Bethany and I shall have some tea. You must be fatigued after your travels. Are you fresh from the boat?"

"I fear so," she answered, removing her large bonnet as she followed her cousin further into the house. Her hair, long and red-tinted-brown, was pulled up in a looped braid on the back of her head. Her skin, although tanned from the Caribbean sun, still showed signs of freckles. There was little doubt of their being Irish blood in her veins. Her eyes, however, showed none of it. They were dark brown, so dark they gave the impression of being endless pools. Elizabeth found herself oddly reminded of Jack Sparrow, and nearly laughed at the idea.

"Did you have a pleasant voyage? Certainly you didn't come all the way from England?"

"No, no," she answered quickly. "We live in Port Nassau, not so far. We moved here some years ago, with my mother's second husband. And the voyage was very fine. The sea agrees with me, I fear. My mother shall be horrified when she hears how I've enjoyed my adventure."

"Why did she not journey with you?"

"I fear my mother is not in good heath. Nothing serious, mind, but a voyage would not agree with her a'tall. But enough of me. Tell me about your husband to be. Is he a handsome man?"

"Very," she answered. "A blacksmith, you know."

"So I heard," she replied, "although I hardly believed it."

"It has been a struggle," she remarked.

"It sounds terribly romantic," she said. "When do I get to meet him?"

"How about now?"

They both looked up at the sound of the voice in the doorway. "Will!" Elizabeth cried, jumping from her chair to run and hug him.

Bethany sat stock still, staring at the man in the doorway. Elizabeth detangled herself from her soon-to-be husband and claimed his hand to drag him over to their guest. "Will, this is my cousin, Bethany Maltrey. Bethany, this is William Turner."

Bethany stood to offer a quick curtsy, her eyes raking him. "Elizabeth, I believe I've been lied to. You told me he was handsome."

"And you don't think he is?" Elizabeth demanded, hands on hips.

"Elizabeth, handsome is the greatest understatement I believe I've heard. Perhaps dressed in rags, covered in dirt, and with a large, ugly, infected scar he could pass as handsome. This man is the greatest example of male form I believe I've ever seen."

"Bethany!" Elizabeth cried as Will turned a lovely shade of crimson.

"Of course. Forgive me, Mr. Turner. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Maltrey," he returned, bowing deeply.

"Call me Bethany, please. We shall be family soon enough."

"Then you must call me Will," he informed her.

"Will it is," she agreed with an inclination of her head.

"Would you like some tea?" Elizabeth asked, leading him toward the tray that was already being set out.

"I suppose I could manage it. Really I stopped by to see how everything was going with the arrangements. I thought perhaps I could help."

"Oh, disaster. My father ordered pink colored lilies and all they have are maroon ones."

Will looked at her in confusion. "Is there a difference?"

"Not so very large a one," Elizabeth said with a giggle and a look at her cousin which clearly said men would never understand their plight. "All shall be well in the end."

"If it is not too bold of me to say, Bethany, you have beautiful eyes."

"I do not find it too bold if your bride to be does not. I had the good fortune to inherit my father's eyes."

"I do not find it too bold. I was just thinking so as well," Elizabeth commented. "They are the very picture of Jack's."

"Who is Jack?" Bethany asked with a curious look.

"A pirate," Will answered. "A bit of mystery. Perhaps you'll get to meet him. I wouldn't put it past him to show up for the wedding."

"Certainly not!" Elizabeth cried. "Norrington will be there, after all. Surely he has sense enough to stay well away."

"You know Jack. He very seldom has any sense at all," Will answered.

"Sounds like an intriguing man," Bethany remarked.

"To say the least," Elizabeth answered.

"What does your father do, out of pure curiosity?" Will asked.

"He's a merchant."

"A sailor?"

"No, no. Runs a shop. Funds voyages. That sort of thing. He stays in port these days, although I hear he was quite the hooligan before I was born."

"Then perhaps there is hope for Will yet," Elizabeth chuckled.

A footman entered then. "Commandore Norrington has come to pay you a visit, Miss Swan. Shall I show him in?"

"Certainly," Elizabeth answered. The footman exited, and Elizabeth turned curious eyes on her cousin. "Tell me, Bethany, are you betrothed?"

"Certainly not, and I have every intention of remaining that way. I see that coy light in your eye, cousin, and you may forget it this moment. I will not be a casualty of your matchmaking. I've enough trouble keeping my mother at bay."

Elizabeth shrugged with feigned indifference. When the Commandore entered she rose to curtsy to his bow. "Commandore, always a pleasure. This is my cousin, Bethany Maltrey, newly arrived this very afternoon. Cousin, this is Commandore Norrington."

"A pleasure," she greeted, curtsying as well.

"The pleasure is mine. I did not hear of a ship docking this afternoon. I assume you arrived safely."

"Oh, yes. It was a small ship, quite unremarkable in all honesty. I can hardly be surprised you did not hear of it."

"Will you join us for some tea, Commandore?" Elizabeth offered.

"No. I fear my schedule does not allow me the leisure at this time. I came seeking your father. Is he about?"

"I fear he stepped out to make some arrangements," Elizabeth answered. "Would you like me to tell him you are looking for him?"

"No, no. I shall see him tomorrow, I dare say."

"You are coming to the ceremony then?" Elizabeth asked.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I bid you good afternoon. Miss Swan, Mr. Turner, Miss Maltrey. Perhaps you could save me a dance tomorrow?"

"It would be my pleasure, Commandore," Bethany answered with an incline of her head.

"Tomorrow then," he said with a final bow before exiting the room.

"You are going to pay for that," Bethany remarked as they sat back down to their tea.

"I hardly see why," Elizabeth answered. "He is acknowledged far and wide as the most eligible of bachelors."

"Which is why you turned him down, no doubt," Bethany returned.

"How did you hear of that?" Elizabeth asked.

"The same way I heard of the wedding, of course," she answered. "A Commandore is worth gossiping over, even one so far beyond our reach. Especially when it involves one's cousin."

"Then perhaps we shall give your mother something to gossip about," Elizabeth suggested with a grin.

"You look so beautiful," Bethany sighed, carefully arranging the last of the ringlets on her cousin's head.

"Let us hope my husband thinks so as well," Elizabeth said.

"How could he not?"

"Can you imagine?" Elizabeth asked. "Husband. My husband is William Turner."

"Well, if the ceremony was any indication of your future together it is bound to be easy sailing. Everything was so beautiful."

"You really think so?" Elizabeth asked.

"I know so," Bethany replied. "Now you have only to mingle with your guests for a few hours, and then you may withdraw for the wedding night."

Elizabeth blushed heavily. "Don't remind me."

Bethany stopped straightening the lace of her cousin's gown to meet her eyes in the mirror. "Elizabeth, tell me you will not be spending the evening with William Turner for the first time tonight."

"Of course I will. I am a woman of honor, and he is very honorable as well. Why would you assume otherwise?"

"Elizabeth, forgive my crassness, but have you seen your husband? That man is delectable. If he weren't married to my cousin I would be chasing him about at this very moment."

"Bethany, you are horrible."

"Nay, just honest."

A sharp knock on the door made them both look up. A maid entered, curtsying gracefully. "Forgive the intrusion, my Lady. Your father bid me remind you that your guests are waiting."

"Tell him we shall be out momentarily," Bethany told her, shooing the girl out before returning to Elizabeth. "You only need one more thing."

"Whatever might that be?" Elizabeth asked, scrutinizing herself in the mirror.

"This," she answered, returning with a necklace of black pearls nearly all the same size.

Elizabeth gasped. "It's beautiful."

"It's yours," Bethany said, attaching it around her neck.

"This must be worth a fortune. I couldn't possibly accept it."

"You must," she answered. "It is a gift, from myself and my father."

"I don't know what to say."

"Thank you would be appropriate, I believe," she answered with a grin.

"Thank you."

"Come. You have guests to meet."

Taking her hand Bethany led the new bride to the door, down the halls, and into the grand ball room stuffed nearly to overflowing. Governor Swan, who had been standing by the door, raised his hands when he caught sight of his daughter. The gathered crowd quieted as the Governor took his daughter by the hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, the bride has arrived!"

At that announcement the crowd cheered three times. William Turner stepped forward to bow to the Governor and take his new bride's hand. "The married couple shall share the first dance!" the Governor announced as people cleared a space for the new couple.

Bethany mingled with the crowd to watch the new couple twirl around the floor, clearly lost in one another. "It is beautiful, is it not?" she heard behind her.

Turning she was surprised to find the Commandore standing directly behind her. "I would say so. I hope you do not find it bitter sweet, knowing it might have been you."

"Nay," he answered. "She found love. I could never regret that. I dare say I have time enough to find a proper bride."

"More than," Bethany agreed. "And I dare say you shall have no trouble once you have located her. I am glad to hear you bear them no ill will. I would have no dark thoughts hanging over my cousin on such a happy day."

"Nor would I," he said, his tone belaying a deeper meaning as he scanned the crowd.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, eyes studying those gathered as well. "Does something else trouble My Lord?"

"Nothing of consequence," he replied lightly. "Perhaps I had best claim your hand now, Miss Maltrey, before some overeager youth steals you from me."

"I dare say you needn't fear that. I believe I know no other soul in this room beyond my relations. And please, do call me Bethany."

"Ah, but many men, even those who have never made your acquaintance, would pursue such a beautiful woman. You must know that by now, Bethany. And I would have you call me Edward. If I cannot refer to you as Miss Maltrey it seems a bit awkward for you to call me by my title."

She blushed as was proper, looking down at her gloved hands. "That is very kind of you to say, My Lord."

"I speak only the truth," he answered.

"A virtue much befitting a Commandore," she told him, offering him her hand so that they could join the other couples moving to dance with the Turners.

She looked up to find him once again sweeping the room with his eyes. "Edward, I would expect a man of such words to at least keep his eyes upon his partner."

"My apologies, Miss, er, Bethany. I meant no offence."

"I will take none if you tell me whom you search for so diligently. Should I fear a woman jealous of you attention to me sneaking up on us?"

"No, certainly not." He paused to look at her for a moment before asking, "Have you heard the tale of your cousin's unfortunate run-in with a pirate by the name of Jack Sparrow?"

"From her own lips some few hours ago," Bethany replied. "I was looking to lessen her anxiety by drawing her memory elsewhere. 'Twas a thrilling tale, to be sure."

"Yes, well, I would not be surprised in the pirate were to show up at this very gathering."

"Surely not. He'd not have the audacity."

"Believe me, he would."

"He must be quite the scallywag to have you seeking him desperately," Bethany remarked.

"Actually, he is rather honorable. And brilliant. Positively mad, but brilliant."

"Why Edward, one might believe you actually respect the man."

"I suppose I do. But he is still a pirate, and I do have my responsibilities."

"It seems the smarter play, if he truly is so brilliant, would be to send a companion in his place to convey his well wishes. Do you know what the rest of his crew would look like?"

"No, but any of them would stick out in such a refined crowd. Rest assured Bethany, there are no pirates present."

"If you are that certain, My Lord, I shall certainly rest easy." Elizabeth grinned as she spun by, waving at her cousin. Bethany waved back.

Note: Just a friendly reminder that reviews make the process go faster. Next, Pearl shows her true colors. Stay tuned. I like the next chapter better and I guarantee you will too!


	2. Pearl

Pearl

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Jack and Will aren't mine and if they were they wouldn't be running around some

fanfiction. They'd be tied up in my room. Pearl, however is mine. All mine! Ha ha. Take that

Disney!

The next morning Elizabeth descended the stairs of her father's house and entered the

parlor to find her cousin sewing quietly in the corner. "Good morning Elizabeth. You look...well

rested," she greeted, suggestion coloring her voice.

"Thank you," Elizabeth replied, fighting very hard not to blush and loosing the battle. "I

am."

"And where might your husband be? Did you exhaust him so thoroughly that he will lie

in bed well past noon?"

"I certainly hope not," she answered with a grin. "We have an appointment to see how our

house is coming along. I am told 'tis nearly finished. William shall be down shortly."

As if her words had summoned him Will appeared in the doorway. Grinning he sat next

to his wife, kissing first her cheek, then her neck, then-

"I believe the two of you have a room for that sort of thing," Bethany remarked from the

corner without looking up from her sewing.

"I apologize, Bethany. I didn't see you there. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well. Yourself?" she asked politely.

"When I slept," Will answered with a grin.

"William, you are nearly as horrible as my cousin!" Elizabeth cried, pink rising in her

cheeks.

"You seemed to be having a good time with the Commodore last night," Will remarked as

a change of subject.

Bethany shrugged. "He was kind enough."

"That's all you can say about him?" Elizabeth asked.

"I fear he isn't my sort," Bethany answered. "Far too strict and worried about rules."

"He is a Commadore after all," Elizabeth reminded.

"Exactly," Bethany answered. "I've just remembered, I intended to pick some flowers out

in the garden."

"Don't let us chase you away," Elizabeth said with concern as she set aside her sewing.

"You aren't," Bethany answered. "I just want to do it before I forget."

"Suit yourself. Come back when you're done," Elizabeth ordered. "I want you to see the

house with us."

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere without you," she replied as she left the room.

She had only been gone ten minutes when Elizabeth and Will heard a crash from the next

room. Elizabeth looked at her husband in apparent confusion before calling out, "Bethany?"

When that yielded no answer she tried, "Susan?" to summon her maid. After a few moments

without response she called, with worry creeping into her voice, "Martin?" to summon the

footman.

After several moments without answer she rose to move toward the foyer. Will caught her

quickly, forcing her behind him before continuing to the foyer. "I wish I had my sword," he

whispered to her.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Elizabeth said.

But she was proven wrong when they stepped into the foyer. Martin was sprawled on the

floor with a nasty bump on his head. Before Will could shove her back into the parlor to make

for the back door rough hands grabbed them. Blindfolds descended over their eyes as their hands

were bound.

Elizabeth cried out as she was bound but the men only laughed as they turned them

toward the rear exit. "Don't worry, Lassy. We won' hurt ya. That ain't our orders. We're just goin'

for a little ride."

"Enjoyable, really," another remarked with a laugh as she stumbled over the threshold.

She could hear a scuffling to her left and a voice cry, "Unhand me this moment!"

"Bethany?" Elizabeth called.

"I'm all right," her cousin's voice answered. "They haven't harmed me."

"Don't worry. We'll get out of this," Will promised as they were lifted into a cart, blankets

shoved over them.

"I can't say I care for the accommodations," Bethany called to them.

"I can't say I care at all," one of the men answered. "Silence now or we gag you as well."

Although a bit warm the ride was not all together uncomfortable. It ended at last. The

blankets were thrown back and the sounds and smells of the sea reached them. Strong arms

picked up and carried all three of them to a small row boat. "I might suggest ye hold still," one of

their captors remarked. "We just may not feel too bad about lettin' ye drown ifn ye dump yerself

or us."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Will asked as they were rowed steadily out to sea.

In seemingly no time the rowboat bumped against wood. Voices floated around them as

the boat and its contents were raised to the deck. The prisoners were marched out amid snickers

around them, down a set of stairs, and pressed them back roughly into wooden chairs.

"Well, you've arrived at last."

Will perked up at the sound of the familiar voice. "Jack?"

The blindfolds were pulled from their eyes to reveal a grinning Jack Sparrow leaning

against a wooden table. Most oddly of all, a grinning Bethany sat next to him on the table. She

wasn't bound or blindfolded. Her bare feet waived idly as she regarded the couple before her with

a great deal of obvious amusement.

"You kidnaped us?" Will asked incredulously as the members of the crew behind him cut

his and Elizabeth's bonds.

"Actually, that was the whelp," Jack answered with a motion toward the girl. "With a

little help from the crew, 'course."

Bethany reached out to smack him upside the head, leaving him staring at her in

confusion. "I told you not to call me whelp," she told him.

"Why did she kidnap us?" Will asked.

"I told her to," Jack answered simply.

"Because...?" Will queried.

"Well, I couldn't hardly just walk up to you and invite you. And besides, that wouldn't be

much fun would it? This is an adventure, after all."

"Bethany?" Elizabeth asked.

"Actually, it's Pearl," she replied with a grin. Standing, she curtsied deeply. "Pearl Siren

Sparrow, at your service."

"Pearl?" Elizabeth repeated doubtfully.

"Yep. The bad news if, you don't have a cousin. Or at least not that we know of. The good

news is you aren't actually related to me." She looked down sourly at the skirts. "I'm going to go

change. This whole 'Lady of Breeding' thing just isn't me."

"You managed it for that year in Paris," Jack pointed out.

"Actually, I spent most of that dressed as a man."

"Why would you do that?" Will asked.

"Because I was there to get an education and study the sword. They don't let women do

either," she replied as if the answer were obvious. "I'll be back."

All three of them watched her exit with a flash of skirt. "So that's your...sister?" Will

asked.

Jack shook his head. "My dear daughter."

"Daughter?" Elizabeth repeated.

"Well, we think," he admitted. "Her mother's a Woman o' Tortuga-a prostitute, if you

will. Hard to be sure who her father is but I've taken her on. She is my spitting image. Out of

skirts and when she stops actin' all proper anyway." He shook his head then, his hands waving

wildly. "That's not why I brought you here."

"Yes Jack, why did you bring us here?" Elizabeth demanded.

"Come on up on deck. The fresh salt air would do you some good. We can talk up there."

The couple obediently followed the Captain up into the warm sunshine. The sea rushed

around them, the ship slicing through the water as the wind made the canvas over their head

snap. They must have hauled up anchor and set off as soon as they were onboard to be out of

sight of the shore already, Will mused.

Elizabeth pushed the hair already escaping her elaborate up do in the stiff wind. "I didn't

even have a chance to grab my things!" she cried in sudden anger.

"Pearl will lend you anything you need," Jack assured her as he led them to the edge of

the ship. Several members of the crew called hello to the newest passengers as they went.

Leaning on the rail Jack gazed contentedly at the stretch of blue that went all the way to the

horizon.

"Where are we going?" Will asked, moving to stand beside his friend.

"A little island called Lover's Cove. You see, I had Pearl pick you up partially to give you

my congratulations in person. The other reason was to give you your present. Or at least part of

it. Elizabeth seems partial to the first part of it already," he added with a pointed look at the

smokey pearls around her neck.

She reached up to toy with the string, remembering the words from the woman she

believed to be her cousin when they were given to her. She silently kicked herself for not

knowing then and there. Who but Jack would send her a string of black pearls?

"And what's at Lover's Cove?" Will asked.

"Ah, straight to the point. It's an abandoned island. No one around for miles. There's a

little cabin on it. Not much but we keep it well stocked. It keeps the rain off and the bugs out.

Perfect place for two newlyweds to get to know each other better, savvy?"

"So you're going to maroon us on an island and call it a wedding present?" Elizabeth

asked.

"Nay, we won't maroon you. We'll pull out into the harbor, drop anchor, and leave you

with pistols in case of danger. No worries, though. There's little enough on the island, and none

of it dangerous."

Will opened his mouth to say something else but before he got the chance someone

rushed by him and up the rigging next to him. By the time he had registered what was going on

and looked up the person in question was sitting atop the mesh of ropes, legs wound securely

through and arms spread wide with eyes closed as the wind whipped around them.

"Feel better?" Jack called up to them.

"I always feel better on open water," they called back down. It was then that Will realized

he was looking at Pearl. Gone were the fine skirts and proper manors. Instead she wore a long,

dark jacket not unlike the one her father wore. It was longer than most, almost giving the

impression of skirts with four high slits to allow movement. Still, shockingly enough for a

woman, her baggy breaches were readily available for view, as were her high black boots. The

shirt beneath the jacket was white with the look of good, sturdy making and care. Even the long

flowing dark locks were gone; short, unevenly-chopped bright red hair peaking from beneath the

large-brimmed hat that fell low over her face. Indeed, her hair was no longer than what many of

the men on the ship wore, including Will, and shorter than most. It was swept back in a barely-

visible catch at the base of her neck.

"It does my heart good to see you out of those skirts," he told her. "It always worries me a

bit to see you all prim and proper."

"You needn't fear," she told him. "I don't like it any better than you. Considerably less, I

would imagine." She fell back suddenly, knees holding her firmly in place as she captured her hat

before it could fall and called down, "There's a storm coming in from the east. Should catch us a

little before sunrise."

Jack and Will both turned their eyes to the east, searching for a sign of clouds in the

pristine blue sky. "Bad?" Jack asked.

"Nay," she answered with a lopsided grin. "Just a little one, I imagine."

"Then stop showin' off and come down," Jack called. "It's time we ate."

Swinging a bit she managed to capture a nearby rope in her right hand. Swinging out she

let her legs slip down before tightening her grip on the rope and sliding one-handed to the

deck. Will wondered at her lack of care where rope burn was concerned until he saw the scrap of

rawhide tied around the middle two fingers of her hand and her wrist, protecting the palm. Jack

wore the same thing, as he had as long as Will could remember. He also noticed the heavy

callouses that proclaimed her working for a living. He wondered why he hadn't noticed this

earlier before he realized he had never seen 'Bethany' without gloves.

"How do you know it's going to storm?" Will asked.

"'It is given to some to see more than the eyes have leave to understand,'" she said

merrily.

"Just nod and pretend that made sense to you," Jack suggested as they entered the

Captain's quarters to find the ornate table laden with food.

"If the legends are to be believed I'm descended from an ancient Aztec spirit called a

Wind Talker," Pearl said, settling back into a chair and propping her heavy boots up on the table.

"Feet down," Jack ordered. "Mind your manners. People might think you were raised in a-"

"Brothel?" Pearl suggested helpfully. "Or perhaps a pirate ship?"

"I was going to say barn," Jack replied.

"I've been minding me manners for weeks," Pearl answered, kicking at the hand he was

waving at her as she caught hold of a large, greasy chunk of fowl and began chewing on it. "If

you really want to hear the story I'd best tell it from the beginning. Legend has it that the Wind

Talkers were Aztec sprites of sorts. Somewhere between Gods and mortals while not really being

of either. They would commune with the Gods, imparting to them which beings deserve

prosperity and fortune, and which ruin in their crops. When Cortez landed and began killing off

their people the Wind Talkers fled. They couldn't stand watching their followers slaughtered.

They forgot, however, that without tribute from their people their powers, along with their very

being, would fade to nothing. In essence, they would die. That was what was happening to my

great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, if the ledged's to be believed, when she landed on

Tortuga. A tavern owner found her near death on a beach. He fell instantly in love with her. He

took her back to the tavern, nursed her to health. His love saved her, and she found that she loved

him as well."

"That's terribly sweet," Elizabeth remarked.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Pearl said, wrinkling her nose to suggest she couldn't really have

cared less. "At any rate, they married and had two children: a son and a daughter. The son became

a pirate, the daughter a Woman of Tortuga."

"A prostitute," Elizabeth put in.

Pearl shrugged. "A rose by any other name still needs gold to eat, and will do what she

must to get it. Anyway, ever since then the woman of my family have been birthin' pirates and

prostitutes. And both have a unique ability to read the winds and see foul weather commin'."

The door opened suddenly. Gibbs stood there, taking in the scene before entering and

giving Elizabeth a slight bow. "Sorry to interrupt, Captain, but we got a ship few leagues off the

port."

Author's Note: So there you have it. Pearl Sparrow in all her glory. Now who could be on the

approaching ship? Reviews make writing go faster and, more importantly, make me incredibly,

unbelievably happy. Yes, you have that power at your fingertips. Be a dear and exercise it.


	3. Tempers

Pearl

Chapter 3

Author's Note: Okay you lucky dogs. Now you get to see the real Pearl. You might want to take cover.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they were.

The door opened suddenly. Gibbs stood there, taking in the scene before entering and giving Elizabeth a slight bow. "Sorry to interrupt, Captain, but we got a ship few leagues off the port."

"Friendly?" Jack and Pearl asked as one.

"Ain't no way a' knowin' just yet. They're pullin' close, makin' for us. Thought you'd want to be aloft to see fer yerself."

"Indeed," Jack replied, standing as Pearl did. "You two can finish if you like."

"I believe you forget who you're talking to," Elizabeth answered. "Of course I'd rather be above."

"O' course. Don't know what came over me," he replied as he led the way up, his daughter next to him with Elizabeth behind him and Will hurrying to keep up with her.

"I like her," Pearl remarked.

"I was afraid you might," Jack replied.

Cotton was waiting for them at the top of the short set of stairs holding two spy glasses. Jack took one and followed Gibbs to the side rail of the ship as Pearl took the other and quickly scaled a rope to perch in the crow's nest and study the approaching ship.

"Don't recognize it by sight," Jack muttered. "Pearl?"

"It's flying a pirate flag," she called back.

"That's good, isn't it?" Elizabeth asked.

"Could be, although pirates don't shirk at takin' from their own kind," Jack replied.

"Anything else?"

"There's another flag beneath but I can't tell a color. Could be blue, or maybe that's just wishful thinking."

"What's a blue flag mean?" Will asked.

"They just want a chat, promise not to attack unless provoked, by the code," Jack answered.

"But the codes are just guidelines even then," Elizabeth pointed out.

Jack nodded. "They wouldn't be the first to fly up under a peacable flag and attack. Cannons?"

"Armaments're closed," Pearl answered. "Enough crew on deck I wouldn't suspect them arming anything." She paused to squint through the glass and leather tube. "Definitely blue flag. Ship looks like Spanish navy. New."

"How sure are you of that?" he called up.

"Sure enough. Hull's still light as bleached beach."

Apparently the answer was enough for Jack. Turning to Gibbs he asked, "Who do we know that just got their hands on a new ship?"

"Duck, but that was a French vessel."

"Didn't I hear Milton just got a payload?" Jack asked.

"Aye, but that was gold. No ship."

"Pearl, know anyone that would be interested in a chat that just acquired a new vessel?"

"I've heard that Marden got lucky with a straggler from an armada. Only heard rumors, though."

"Does Marden have anything against you?" Will asked.

"Just the opposite," Jack answered with a grin. "Run up a blue flag. Let's see if we can't slow just a bit."

Pearl slid down from above, landing in a crouch beside them. She seemed distant suddenly as she drifted over to the rail to watch the approaching ship. Suddenly something seemed to dawn on her and she turned and ran back below.

At an odd look from Gibbs Jack chuckled and said, "Sword."

Will shook his head in apparent confusion. "And who exactly is Marden?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's Pearl's age. Grew up with her in Tortuga. His brother was my first mate for a time, before he ran off after his own Captainage. I took young Marden on as a favor to him some years later. Taught him the ropes. He was a quick study. Left us in favor of his brother's ship some time later. Got his own ship a few years back. Good pirate. Good man."

Pearl returned, sword resting firmly on her hip. To Will's extreme surprise she had the gate of someone accustomed to the weight of a sword at their hip. He had thought she was joking when she spoke of dressing as a man to learn the sword in Paris. Now it appeared not. And if she was half the swords woman her father was she would be something to watch in action.

The ship drew closer. Annamarie, from her perch in the crow's nest, called down, "If that ain't Marden I ain't a lady."

"If it ain't Marden then who is it?" Jack called back, grin spreading over his face.

"Some day you are going to learn that teasing that woman is not a good idea," Pearl told him. "The hard way."

"I look forward to it," Jack replied, swaggering over to the rail to watch the ship draw up on them. He waived as they pulled up beside. "'Lo lads. To what do I owe the honor?"

"Just want a chat," a young man called, a rope twined around one wrist. "Permission to board?"

"How many guests might I be expecting?" Jack asked.

"Just me," the young man answered. "Really, Jack, it wounds me you don't trust me."

"That's Captain Jack Sparrow to you. And I'm the one that taught you who to trust how far. Permission granted."

"Well said. Stay close, boys," he ordered over his shoulder as he wound the rope more firmly around his wrist and swung over onto the Pearl.

He swung over further than was strictly necessary, unsheathing his sword as he went. Will reached for his on instinct but Jack grabbed his wrist and shook his head. "Just wait. He isn't attacking, not us anyway."

Indeed the arc carried him over to land in front of Pearl, who had unsheathed her sword as well. He landed with his sword seeking a blow to her right which she blocked seemingly without a thought and parried. He turned that blow aside as well, cutting forward to try to catch her side. She deflected his sword and, reaching up behind her, caught a rope in her left hand and swung herself around. He followed quickly, attempting to get a hit in which she blocked before pulling herself up on the rope and lashing out with her right foot to catch him in the shoulder.

He growled as he staggered. "You're going to pay for that."

"I look forward to it," she answered with a mock bow before returning to deflecting his blows.

"Do they always do this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Every time they've met since she returned from Paris, by my memory."

The fight continued, ranging its way across the deck. Screams from the ship holding steady beside them supported Marden while the crew from the Pearl had gathered to cheer for the girl.

He backed her slowly toward a set of barrels that would effectively trap her. As she cut to the side to escape the trap he caught her across the shoulder.

Looking in apparent surprise at the torn coat she gasped, "I'm bleeding!"

"Then by rights of first blood I win," he remarked happily.

"Ah, but you didn't claim right of first blood at the outset. We play by pirate rules."

He shrugged. "So I'll have to wait a little longer to claim victory."

She laughed. "I'll throw your bloody carcass back to your shipmates."

"Not before I toss yours on down to Davy Jones' Locker."

"You talk rough. Put your sword where your mouth is."

"With pleasure," he answered with his own mocking bow before engaging her once again.

This time the fight turned back toward them. They were directly in front of them when both made a move to end the fight. The result was both of them standing stock still with a sword at their throats, keeping gentle pressure on the sword at the other's throat.

"Draw then?" he asked.

"Oh, come now. I thought you were a pirate," she said with a grin. In a sudden movement she jumped up and back, removing the sword from her throat. She dove backward, rolling away from the blows she somehow knew he would be aiming at her and came up to place the sword securely at his throat.

"All right. You win," he said, dropping the sword to the deck with a clunk.

She pulled close, grinning like the devil himself. She looked so much like Jack at that moment it scared Will just a bit. "What was that?"

"You heard me," he growled.

"Don't think I did," she answered sweetly, turning her wrist under so she could retain control of the blade as she drew closer. "Just be a dear and humor me why don't you?"

"You. Win," he said through clenched teeth.

"Ah, I never tire of hearing it," she sighed. Withdrawing the sword from his throat she sheathed it. "So what do I win?"

"My respect?" he suggested.

"Much as I prize that you've something I want far more," she purred pushing forward to press herself against him.

The crew chuckled appreciatively and Jack cleared his throat loudly. Will was suddenly aware that he and Elizabeth were both staring. "I have no idea to what you may be referring," he answered.

"Don't play innocent," she ordered. "It doesn't suit you." His arm was around her waist now. One of her hands was threaded through his hair, the other slinking low beneath the flowing jacket he wore.

Jack stepped forward quickly, pulling his daughter away from the boy.

"Come now, lass. You must share the good captain's company. He came for a reason, I believe."

"Indeed, although I find your daughter's reasoning far more interesting."

He gave the younger man a sour look. Marden softened suddenly, shifting under his gaze.

"Come boy. You can help us finish our supper," Jack said, leading him back below. Will, Elizabeth, and Pearl followed them.

Once they were settled with a good meal Marden sighed. "I did come after you for a reason. Besides you, Pearl."

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"Someone's following you."

"That's hardly new."

"This is the law."

"Nor is that."

"He's an old friend, from what I've heard. Bloke by the name of Norrington." Marden's eyes landed on Elizabeth. "Somethin' about you kidnaping a Governor's daughter, her new husband, and her cousin."

Jack rolled his eyes. "That boy doesn't know when to quit."

"Where's the cousin?" Marden asked. "I heard tell she was a Lady of breeding. Tell me you don't have her locked up in the brig."

"Do you take me for a roughian?" Jack asked.

"She's fine," Pearl put in.

"You'd best not mistreat her. She might choose to hold it over you. Rummer had it Norrington's smitten, is why he's pursing you so fully."

Silence reigned for a moment before Jack and Pearl burst into roaring laughter.

"Yer good, my girl, I have to give you that," Jack gasped out.

"You?" Marden asked Pearl, laughter ringing in his voice.

"Lady Bethany Matrey, at your service My Lord," she answered with a flourish and a bow of her head.

Marden laughed in full this time. "A Commandore? I must say that I'm impressed, Pearl."

"You and me both," she remarked.

"What did you do?" Jack asked.

Pearl shrugged. "I happened to meet him the day before the wedding. Since the happy couple were rather caught up in one another and I didn't know anyone else there he took it upon himself to introduce me to his friends and dance me around a bit. Nothing overly remarkable."

"It appears the good Commadore would disagree," Marden pointed out.

"How far behind us is he?"

"Not far. He met me in Port Earlington. He asked enough questions to kill most pirates dead. Gilden had heard what your plans were so we set off straight away to find you. He must plan to stop in Port Faylor to ask about you as well. Beating him to the Cove should be easy enough for you."

Jack nodded. "He'll sail right by us if we pull in and anchor."

"My point exactly. But I thought you should know," Marden replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my first mate will tear apart the ship if I don't get back."

"What? You're just going to leave?" Pearl asked.

"Sorry luv. Places to go, people to pillage, and treasure to find."

Pearl followed him up to the rail as he reclaimed the rope to his ship Cotton had been holding. "What am I, smoked salmon?"

"Caviare and champagne, darling, that's what you are to me. But my mistress be the sea and she's a' callin'," he answered with a grin. "I'll see you in Tortuga before too long, I'm sure."

"I'm sure," she repeated.

Pausing he swooped down to kiss her one last time. The men hooted as he turned and saluted with a wink. "Take what you can," he said and lept back to his own ship.

Pearl laughed as he sailed out of sight. "That man."

"That's so sweet," Elizabeth cooed.

Pearl paused to give her a cautious look. "What was sweet?"

"You two."

"You two what?"

"Oh, just you desperately in love."

Pearl blinked at her as Jack, who was standing behind her, laughed silently.

Pearl shook her head. "Elizabeth, darling, you're a noble so I'm going to forgive your overwhelming ignorance and explain this to you very slowly. I'm the daughter of a pirate and a prostitute and I can safely say I really am a little bit of both. Now, it's a bad idea for either one to fall in love so I've been particularly careful not to. Sleeping with someone every chance I get because the sex is great-"

"Pearl!" Will cried.

"Yeah, you're really one to talk. Do you think she married you for your rank? You're pretty to look at so I can't really blame her. I mean, there are worse reasons to get married."

"I'm starting to feel insulted," Elizabeth said.

"That's not true, though. About love and pirates. I mean, my father-"

"Yeah, your father's a sterling example. Got your mum pregnant, lied about being a pirate, and never came back. Actually he's pretty much the embodiment of why it's a mistake."

"Pearl!" Jack snapped. "That's completely uncalled for!"

"But true. Actually, I shouldn't talk about Bill like that. I liked him. And I do owe your acknowledging me entirely to him."

"How do you figure that?" Jack demanded.

"Oh, come on. You think I really believed it was just a coincidence that you decided a daughter would be fun? If Bootstrap hadn't moped around about how he never got to see his wife and son and yammered on about how nice it is to have someone in his life that cares if he dies you never would have looked twice at me. Granted you weren't taking on too much responsibility. Bringing me some trinket twice a year when you happened to be in port wasn't really much of a drain on you."

"Pearl, I won't be talked to like that!" Jack said, warning rising in his voice.

"Looks like you just were," she shot back, rising to the occasion. She moved closer, standing toe to toe with him.

"I got you out of Tortuga!" he railed at her. "Without me you'd be some prostitute on the street corner!"

"Back," Gibbs ordered, appearing beside Will and Elizabeth and silently drawing them back. In the nick of time, it seemed, as Pearl hauled back and slapped Jack hard enough to send him stumbling.

"Don't you dare think for even a moment that you're better than them, Jack!" Pearl said, her voice quiet and far more dangerous than if she were screaming. "Just because you've been given opportunities they don't dare dream of. Just because you're willing to use them to help others IF you feel like it. And I've worked for every opportunity I've been given on this ship. Don't you dare tell me I haven't earned it!"

Jack straightened, cupping his cheek. Will had seen him get slapped before. It seemed to be a general pastime for the prostitutes of Tortuga. But he had never seen him look injured as he did now. The crew had paused in their work to watch with a mixture of sympathy and fear in their eyes.

"Whelp," Jack said in a cold voice, "I think you had best take over watch."

She stood stock still for long moments, glaring at him. Finally she turned and scaled the mast to take her place in the crow's nest. Anamaria climbed down to approach Jack cautiously.

"Um, Captain?"

"Just get to work," Jack ordered. "That goes for the rest of you too, you scurvy dogs!" With that he walked off the deck, slamming the door to his private rooms.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know. I don't think I've ever seen Jack really angry," Will remarked.

"I have once," Elizabeth said. "When we were abandoned on the island and Barbossa took off with the Pearl again. But he wasn't like this." She paused. "Twice maybe. When I burnt the rum. But he got over that rather quickly."

"Just frustrated," Gibbs put in. "Same as Pearl. The lass pretends it doesn't bother her, seeing other people born with everything handed to them, but it gets to her from time to time, Especially when she's been around the nobles. And she knows how to push Jack's buttons. Lay low for a while. Pearl'll apologize to you before the night's out. Soon as she cools off some."

Author's note: There you go. Review will get the next chapter up faster. Pearl apologizes and the storm hits!


	4. Apologies

Pearl

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: They aren't mine. If Disney has nothing better to do than hunt me down and sue me things are in worse shape than I thought.

Author's note: Welcome back brave travelers. I'm glad to see Pearl's temper hasn't scared you all off yet.

That night Will stood on the starboard rail, watching the water pass beneath him. He and Elizabeth had withdrawn to their rooms after the fight but Will had been unable to sleep. He would never tell Elizabeth, but the truth was that he was simply too wound up. Something about being on the sea thrilled him, and that frightened him.

Suddenly Pearl was beside him. He jumped but she didn't move, simply leaning against the rail and staring out to the moonlit sea. To the west dark clouds were gathering, lightning lancing through it. Her hat was gone, rising wind blowing her short, unevenly chopped hair around her face. High cheek bones and slim, almost aristicratic feature remained still. She could be a bust, he mused, a Greek Goddess from one of Elizabeth's father's books.

"I owe you an apology." She spoke so suddenly he doubted that she had spoken at all for a moment. "Actually, I owe your father an apology, but since he isn't exactly available I'll have to make due with you." She glanced up at him, moonlight reflecting in her dark eyes. "You look enough like him that it isn't so hard."

"Did you know my father?"

"Oh, yes. Well, even. Loved that man. He doted on me so. Worse than Jack, he was. Said I reminded him of his own wee one." She smiled brilliantly into the night. "He brought me a doll once. All the way from China. Porcelain. And then next time he came it was dresses for it, from France. All silk and lace. I still have them, in Tortuga. It's unfair, a man like that dead so soon. A pity he couldn't see you. He'd be so proud. His son, an honest man married to a Governor's daughter." She shook her head. "Apologizing. I was apologizing, not reminiscing. I shouldn't have said what I did. About Bill and your mother. I'd wager she knew exactly what he was. He always spoke of getting into the merchant side of things. Philosophically, at least, the idea of being a pirate galled. He just knew what it was to be hungry and how to make due. That's what being a pirate was for him, making due. The sea was in his blood to be sure, but I'm not certain pirate was. And Elizabeth loves you. It was cruel of me to say that as well. If I could take it back I would. Seeing as I can't all I can say is that I know better."

"Thank you," Will said as the first roll of thunder reached them.

Pearl looked back at the approaching storm, then up at Anamaria at the helm. "Ana, the storm's coming up fast. Maybe you'd best go wake Jack and let me mind the helm."

"Jack put me to this job. Mayhaps you should go wake him," Anamaria suggested.

Pearl shook her head. "You saw us this afternoon. He wouldn't take too kindly to that. He won't mind, I promise."

Anamaria eyed her but surrendered the helm. Pearl took her place. In minutes Jack stepped out on deck with her behind him. "Has it gotten worse than you thought?" he asked his daughter, his voice only slightly stiffer than usual.

"No, just faster," she answered.

"How long're we going to have to fight it?"

"Hour maybe," she answered with a shrug.

"Go wake four or five," Jack ordered of Anamaria as he moved to stand beside Pearl. "Is it tuggin' at the rudder yet?"

"Not bad," she answered with a shrug. "Feel," she added, shifting to give him the wheel.

He nodded, caressing the worn wood. "Good, good."

"If anything happens Tortuga ain't far," she put in.

"Not anxious for home already?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Never," she answered with a grin. "Just saying is all."

Anamaria returned, leading several of the crew including Gibbs. "Why'd you ask for me specifically?" Gibbs asked.

Jack gave him a confused look until he saw Anamaria smirk. Gibbs followed his look and growled, "Stupid wench."

"Maybe you'll think better of throwing things into my cooking next time," she told him with a toss of her long, dark mane.

"A woman scorned," Jack remarked as Gibbs turned red.

"You'd know all about that, Captain Sparrow," Pearl remarked, teasing leaking through her voice.

"The spice of life," Jack returned. "Gibbs, see to the main lines. Cotton, into the billows. Anamaria, check for ships one last time. The rest of you can buckle down."

They all moved to obey. "Norrington really does have you twisted up, doesn't he?" Pearl asked as she watched Anamaria climb. "I don't think I've ever seen you try this hard to avoid a fight."

"The man's smart, and I'd wager he's holding a grudge."

"Ah, something else you know all about," Pearl remarked.

"Not as much as you, luv. As I said, a woman scorned."

"And don't you forget it," she shot at him as she climbed down to assist the crew.

"As if I could," he called after her.

"Come on, Will, help my out with this," she ordered, helping Gibbs tighten the ropes where it was needed. "You staying up here with us?"

"Where else would I be?" he demanded, feeling slightly insulted.

"You ain't a sailor, Will. I'd wallop anyone as dared call you a coward for heading below to your wife's arms if you want," she told him earnestly.

"I've been through a storm on the Pearl before. I'm not scared," he told her.

She nodded. "You're more your father's son than I thought," she remarked. "Man loved storms."

"What about you?" Will asked. "Are you going below?"

"No. Never me." Strangely enough she didn't sound insulted. Instead her eyes slid to the fast-approaching clouds. "I love storms too. Makes me feel alive. I could never be afraid. That's my brother out there, calling me as certainly as the sea does."

"Let's hope it's a protective, kind older brother," Gibbs remarked.

Pearl chuckled and shook her head. Turning toward her father she called out, "A pirate's life for me!"

"Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!" Jack called in answer.

"Okay, Will, you need to go below and let Mrs. Turner know that you're staying up here," Pearl told him.

"I'd prefer it if she just slept though the whole thing," Will remarked.

"Small chance of that, lad," she said, clapping the man who was at least two years her elder on the shoulder. She had, however, been raised in taverns and on a pirate's ship. In all respects beyond pure age she was far older than him. And he respected that enough to listen. "Things are going to get rough and if she wakes up alone she'll try to find you. Tell her I said to stay below, that I'll keep an eye on you."

He gave her a look at the last part but went down to the room he shared with his wife as the waves began to pick up and thunder crashed loud around him.

"Okay, Will?"

Will nodded, although he hardly felt it. Rain fell around them in sheets, running down his face and over his eyes so the form of Pearl was nearly lost in the watery sheet. Lightning lanced around them, giving everything an eerie blue glow. They had no way of knowing how close the strikes were through the driving rain but the deafening thunder didn't seem to bode well. Despite all this Will wasn't afraid. Just the opposite, he thrilled to the sickening roll of the sea, the roar of thunder in his ear, the burst of adrenaline every time the lightning flash. And that terrified him.

He was a pirate, or at least half. The traitorous blood lay deep in him, and he imagined he could feel it surging through him, claiming him. Loving every moment of danger he would never feel in his blacksmith shop or safe in the small mansion Elizabeth's father was building them. The sailors all spoke of the sea claiming them. What if it was too late for him?

Pearl's grip on his shoulder was as giving as the hard wood of the Black Pearl's mast as she pushed close. She lay her forehead against his, her nose tip to tip with his. For one shocked moment he thought she was going to kiss him. But when the next flash of lighting came he found her eyes searching his as she pressed close. She was just trying to see, he realized, sheltering their faces so she could make out the emotions in his eyes. When the next flash came that cocky smile, so like Jack's, bloomed on her face. "Having fun Mr. Turner?" she asked.

He never had the chance to reply. The next flash of lightning was far too close. His hair stood on end and his eyes were seared by the white light, his ears deafened by the boom.

Pearl moved so quickly he didn't have time to think. She pulled him close, tucking his head safely into the crook of her shoulder as she buried hers in his. She sank like a bag of sand, pulling him down with her and tucking them both neatly under the rail as much as she could, her arms pulled protectively around him. Something whispered that this wasn't right. Shouldn't he be saving her?

Then a wave of something he couldn't identify passed over them. Sparks flew from the metal fittings over his head and the bindings around a barrel nearby as his hair stood on end again.

And then the moment had passed and Pearl was pulling away from him to straighten into the driving rain. "What happened?" Will leaned close to scream.

"Lightning hit the mast," she pulled him close to scream back. Retaining hold of his shoulder she led him over to the mast, where most of the crew was gathering.

"Are the sails going to catch fire?" Will called.

"In this rain? Never."

Jack motioned them over. "Will, make sure everyone's accounted for. Below deck too. And tell Elisabeth you're safe," he ordered.

Will tuned to go, but not before he saw Pearl finger the mast. He just barely caught her yell over the rolling wind, "It split the mast?!"

Below deck everyone was demanding to know what had happened. Will told them, leaving out the last part. Whatever had just happened they would find out later. Cotton's parrot had received a shock, but everyone was otherwise fine.

He found Elizabeth pale and shaking on their bed. She hugged him close when she saw him, demanding information of her own. He soothed her as best he could, suggesting she go wait out the storm with what remained of the crew below before returning to the deck.

It was as if the bolt had been the storm's final shot at them. The wind was already hardly more than a stiff breeze, the rain thinning as red early morning light began to show on the horizon. The crew was still gathered around the main mast and he went to join them. In the ever increasing light he could see a large black crack running down the thick bowl, waning to a thin runner at eye level.

"Is everyone accounted for?" Jack asked.

Will nodded. "The parrot's taken a shock. Keeps saying something about 'Fire in the hole.' They think it'll be fine."

"How's Elizabeth?" Pearl asked. Water dripped from her short hair and prominent nose. Once she must have had a beautiful nose, he mused, but at some point it had been broken and badly healed, leaving a defiant hook to it. Her deep eyes were concerned but steely with a forced calm.

"Shaken up," he admitted. "Otherwise fine. Will we have to put into port?"

"Afraid so," Jack admitted with a sigh. "We'll just have it filled. Should last through another few months, at least. You and Elizabeth have any pressing plans back home?"

"Nothing that can't wait if it means the Pearl's safety," Will answered.

"Well said," Pearl remarked with a grin.

"You know, things are much simpler when you aren't on board," Gibbs said, laughter in his voice.

"Ah, but my presence is well worth any confusion and you know it," she answered. "We make for Tortuga then?"

Jack nodded. "If I overpay Marcus we should be out about morning tomorrow."

Pearl nodded her agreement. "Okay lads, let's get those layabouts out of bed so they can send us a'port and the rest of us can get some much-deserved rest."

The crew cheered as they made for the crew's quarters. Only Will, Jack, and Pearl remained above. Smiling sweetly Pearl turned to her father. "That includes you, you know."

"'Fraid not, lass. I'm steering her into port myself."

"No. Gibbs or Ana can do that. Or they can wake you when they get to port. You need to sleep."

"Look who's talking," he returned. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Not a wink. And I won't until you lay down."

Jack sighed, throwing up his arms. "Someday, Will, you're going to learn about a little thing called choosing your battles."

"I'm way ahead of you on that count," Will remarked with a grin. "Maybe you'll understand some day if you ever grow up and get married."

"Small chance of that," Pearl said with a shake of her head.

Author's note: There you are lads and lasses. Next up: Tortuga, and a good piece of Pearl's past. Be prepared for flying bottles!


	5. True Colors

Pearl 

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not mine.

"I don't like this," Will told Elizabeth for what felt like the hundredth time. Although it

was nearly seven o'clock in the evening the residents of Tortuga were only beginning to stumble

about the streets half-drunk. Small scuffles broke out here and there, even around the dock.

Prostitutes were starting to emerge, blowing kisses to the passers by and calling invitations. Dirty

children raced thin, hungry dogs, occasionally trying to sneak hands into pockets.

"Come, William dear," Pearl broke in. "I grew up here. I dare say Elizabeth will survive

one night. You managed well enough. Asides, the more you forbid it the more stubborn she'll

become."

Elizabeth grinned agreement. "Are you glad to be back?"

Pearl shrugged. "I haven't been gone that long. And I do love the sea. But I suppose it's

nice to be home."

"All right, you scurvy dogs, the ship seems secure enough. I want you all back here at

dawn tomorrow."

With cries of joy the men crowded the gangplank to disappear into the twisting spats of

dirt that passed for roads.

"Marcus' shop still in the same place?" Jack asked Pearl, who nodded. "Heading for the

Dancing Maiden?"

"Where else?" Pearl asked.

"Do me a favor and keep an eye on the young 'uns, will you?" he asked, nodding toward

Elizabeth and Will.

"Sure. I'll put them in my mother's charge," she answered with an evil grin.

"Be nice," he ordered as he turned down one of the alleys.

"Never!" Pearl called in return.

"Tell me about your mother," Elizabeth requested.

"Not much to tell, really. She was born here in Tortuga. Diamond is her name. She's a

prostitute, same as her mother was. She's the best dancer in all of Tortuga. If a sweeter woman

ever walked the earth I haven't met her. Um, I have a sister. Ruby. She's a prostitute too."

"Is there a thing with jewels in your family?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yep. Sort of a tradition. My grandmother was Emerald, Emy to those as knew her. And I

had an aunt named Jewel, and another named Opal. My little sister was named Amethyst, Amy

for short."

"What do you mean was?" Elizabeth asked.

"She died. It happens, Especially around here. The fact that my mother still has three alive

is rather astonishing."

"Three?" Will asked.

"I have a brother. Older. Rum-runner."

"So they're all Jack's?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, heavens no! Well, I suppose it's possible. Not my brother. He's too old. But no.

No one around here has full brothers and sisters. We're all half. Heaven only knows who their

fathers are. If I didn't look so much like Jack I wouldn't know either. I should warn you that I

look nothing like Ruby."

As she spoke they came to a tavern with a battered sign showing a woman lifting her skirt

high to reveal petticoats. Beneath it was scrawled 'The Dancin Maiden.'

Pearl pushed open the door and walked in as if she owned the place. The tables were

largely uninhabited, and those that were contained people who seemed to be dozing over mugs.

Pearl scanned the room then led them over to a table toward the back with a broad grin. A

woman sat at the table, half dozing as she massaged her brow. Her hair was bright flaming red,

the same color as Pearl's, pulled up in an elaborate up do with golden thread wound through. Her

features were broad and dull in her extremely round face, her nose almost flat. Her face was

covered with a thick mask of makeup. She wore a slightly dirty red gown cut alarmingly low with

some almost indistinguishable pattern on it.

Pearl snuck forward on silent feet to lean forward and yell "Boo!" in her ear.

The woman must have jumped half a foot as she gave a startled cry, nearly falling out of

her chair. Pearl broke into peals of laughter, pausing long enough to dodge whatever lay in the

tankard on the table.

"Pearl, I swear, you're the bloody devil himself. If you were wearin' my head you'd have a

worry for other's feelin's."

"Sorry, Ruby," Pearl said, sounding anything but apologetic as she plunked down in a

chair next to her sister and rested her boots in her sister's lap as she motioned her companions

over to sit.

"Off," Ruby ordered, shoving her boots to the ground. "What are you bloody doing here?

You only just bloody left."

"Ship needs a little fixing," Pearl replied. "We won't be in long."

"Thank heaven for small favors," Ruby replied. "Who's they?"

"Ah, Elizabeth and William Turner. Friends. She's a Lady so you had best be nice to her."

But Ruby's flat gaze had settled on Will. "I should know him."

"Oh, no. You might remember Bootstrap Bill. Jack always brought him in."

"I don't remember all the bloody pirates your bloody pirate father bloody brings in this

bloody place," Ruby shot back at her.

If Pearl was bothered at all by her sister's flagrant cursing she didn't show it. "Well,

regardless, he was Will's father. Will here looks just like him. Hands off, Ruby. He's married."

"She needn't know."

"She's sitting next to him," Pearl told her with a nod toward Elizabeth, who was turning

bright red.

"Aye. If I'd netted one that pretty I'd not let him out o' my sight either," Ruby commented

morosely. "Although I'm sure I could find away around it. I mean, she can't be with him all the

time."

Will drew back slightly as Elizabeth shot daggers at the woman. Seeing trouble forming

Pearl leaned forward. "All right. I'll level with you. He doesn't like people to know, but he's a

eunuch."

"I'm never going to live that down," Will moaned, letting his head drop to the table as

Elizabeth gave him a curious look.

"Now that's a shame," Ruby remarked. "Pretty thing like that ruined while your father

runs free despoiling-"

"Where's ma?" Pearl asked quickly, changing the subject.

"Out runnin' errands. Said she'd be back 'fore long. She'll be bloody glad you're back, I'd

wager. Where's your bloody father? Did he finally get himself bloody stabbed by a bloody

blade?"

"Ruby isn't overly fond o' Jack," Pearl explained to the couple at the table. "He was seein'

to the ship."

"Sounds like him. Can't let anything happen to the bloody ship he named after his bloody

daughter."

"She's a little jealous too. Poor thing doesn't have a father, you know," Pearl added. Ruby

stared into her empty cup as if she hadn't heard.

"Jack named the Black Pearl after you?" Will asked in amazement. He didn't have Jack

pegged for such drama.

"Indeed. On my seventh birthday. First time he took me out sailing. Granted, the ship was named The Black Pearl before, but he renamed it in my honor."

Will blinked at her. "He renamed the ship the same name it had before in your honor?"

Pearl nodded. "Sweet, isn't it?"

"You knew Barbossa then," Elizabeth said as will shook his head in confusion.

"Knew the whole bloody crew, bastards." She spit over her shoulder. "Jack dropped me

off not five days before they mutinied. Too bad they all got themselves caught or killed. Most of

them owed me money. And if Pentell had called me 'Poppet' one more time I would have done

him in myself, curse or no. Ah, here we go," Pearl said when the door opened again.

A woman entered. She had the same bright red hair as the two women at the table, left

long to trail down behind her, bits of grey showing through here and there. She wasn't as painted

as Ruby although her lips were far too red to naturally be that color. She wore a long green dress

that showed less cleavage but accentuated her more rounded curves. Her sharp eyes swept around

the tavern, latching onto Pearl almost immediately.

"Lass!" the woman cried, hurrying across the room to hug the girl close. "'Tis so good to

see you. What're you doin' back so soon?"

"Troubles with the ship. We leave tomorrow. It's good to be home. There's someone I

want you to meet." She motioned toward the Turners.

Diamond turned to them with a brilliant smile that slipped away as she fastened eyes on

Will. With a squawk she jumped behind her daughter. "I thought Bill was dead!" she cried.

"He is," Pearl answered.

"And why is he hauntin' you?"

"He isn't," Pearl answered with a laugh, taking her mother's hand and pulling her back

around.

"This is Will, Bootstrap's son."

"Well, I'll be," she remarked, studying him carefully. "He could be his twin."

"Well, yes, twenty years ago he could have been. And this is Elizabeth, his wife."

"Hullo Elizabeth, dear. It's a pleasure t' meet you," she greeted warmly.

"Which brings me to the favor I need to ask." Her mother turned to regard her with hard

eyes. "Which is actually a favor for Jack so you can go look at him like that."

Diamond rolled her eyes and sat at the table. "What do you need?"

"Elizabeth here is a Lady. A Governor's daughter, to be exact. She'll need a little

watching."

"Hey!" Elizabeth cried.

"That isn't to say that you'll need watching, Elizabeth," Pearl put in quickly. "The men

around you will be another story."

"If she's a Lady she has no business being here," Diamond interrupted.

"She's a woman, mama, which means her business is being wherever she wants," Pearl

told her.

"Well said," Elizabeth remarked.

"Bein' where we want is our business, lass. One o' the advantages o' bein' low born. It ain't

fer the pampered people o' rank."

"Mama, when Jack first wanted t' take me on the ship you said everyone deserved at least

a taste o' freedom. You tellin' me she don't?"

Diamond sighed. "I hate it when you turn me own words 'gainst me. All right, I'll do what

I can. I dare say the lad here will do a fine job all on his own." She then took a moment to look

her daughter over carefully. "Why don't you go change, lassy? Makes me uncomfortable seein'

you all trussed up like a pirate."

"I am a pirate," she returned.

"You look far too much like yer father. You ain't on his boat no more."

"Ship," Pearl told her.

"A leaky tub by any other name still be a leaky tub, lassy," Diamond said with a smile.

"That tub don't leak. And it happens to be named after me."

"Well, Tortuga ain't, and that's where you be now. Skirts, lass. That's an order."

"Yes ma'am," Pearl sighed, leveling herself out of the chair. "I'll be right back. Jack

should be here soon."

"Thanks for the bloody warning," Ruby, who had remained sullenly quiet through the

whole conversation, growled out.

"She'll behave herself," Diamond cut off Pearl's retort. "On with y'." Waiting until her

daughter climbed a set of stairs in the back she turned to her other girl. "You know, most would

be glad for such a privileged sister."

"I'll be glad when she starts sharin' her catch," the girl muttered.

"Your sister is many things, but she ain't selfish. Not in the manner o' most pirates, at

least. I don't doubt she'll keep you afloat if you ever have need of it. Ah, now look what the cat

dragged in," she remarked, her eyes straying toward the door.

Jack had just entered. He caught sight of them and with a cocky grin and familiar swagger

he came over to the table. He approached Diamond's side, stopping before her to bow. "Lovely to

see you again, luv," he said with a flourish of his hand.

Diamond laughed up at him. "Watch who you're sweet talkin', y' charmin' old devil."

"Old?" Jack repeated. "My ears must be mistaken. I thought I just heard you call me old."

Grabbing her hand he drew her to her feet, pulling her close and snaking one arm around her

waist. "That's much better. Now that I'm certain I can hear you maybe you could repeat yourself."

Diamond laughed, pushing him away. "Don't waste your time, Jack. I've gotten a

beautiful daughter from you and that's as much as I care to have. Break someone else's heart why

don't you?"

"You cut me to the quick, Diamond," Jack responded. "Ease my wounds a bit, won't you?

At least admit it was fun."

"That I shall give you," Diamond answered with a laugh. "Now sit down, you scurvy

scoundrel."

"You do me wrong again. I haven't had scurvy in ages," Jack replied as he took his seat.

"Speaking of beautiful daughters, where did mine get off to? She's supposed to be guarding our

charges from attack."

"They're still in one piece," Diamond responded. "She went to change."

"Into what?" Jack asked.

"A proper lass, despite your best efforts to turn her into a scoundrel like yourself,"

Diamond told him.

"Ah, that girl is far too strong to be changed by you or me."

"If truer words have ever been spoken I've yet to hear them," Diamond remarked. "But

that don't change that she be what she be, and that be me daughter."

"Mine too," Jack returned defensively.

"Not in Tortuga she ain't. Here she's mine, and I'll hear no more on it."

A smile twisted Jack's lips. "I believe you know the best way to hush me up, luv."

With a sigh and a roll of her eyes Diamond poked Ruby. "Go get Jack some rum or we'll

never have any peace again."

"That bloody pirate can get his own bloody rum," Ruby answered.

"Ah, Ruby, you can always be counted upon to make me feel loved," Jack replied. "Looks

like you're out too." With a flick of his wrist he sent a gold coin flying her way. "Why don't you

fill us both up?"

She glared at him but eventually stood grudgingly and trudged toward the bar.

"Picking on my sister again, Jack?"

Will had to do a double take to figure out exactly who he was looking at. The flaming red

hair chopped short and endless eyes could only belong to Pearl, but the rest of her seemed

completely changed. He had told himself it was the wig that made Bethany Maltrey and Pearl

Sparrow so distinctive. But having seen both sides of the pirate he still couldn't place this

woman.

She had put a little rouge on her cheeks, accentuating their high line and covering some of

the light freckles that dotted her face. Her lips seemed to have gained a few shades and dark

eyeshadow heightened the similarity between herself and her father.

The most startling change, however, lay in her dress. She wore a simple blue Cotton

gown with thread-of-gold decorating the bodice around the neckline, accentuating the expanse of

bust that rose into view. A gold belt was drawn tight around her waist, accentuating her hips and

offering a warning in the form of several small daggers with golden hilts.

"Now THIS is me daughter!" Diamond proclaimed jovially. Jack tilted back his hat to

glance up at her and shake his head in obvious disapproval.

"Pearl, what on earth are you wearing?" Elizabeth gasped.

"Ah, Elizabeth, I'm back in my native land. Time to don the proper colors," Pearl

answered. She sat in the empty chair between Will and Jack. Letting one leg dangle down she

drew the other up to her chest, foot resting on the chair and wrapping her arm around her knee. It

was a pose Will had seen her take a hundred times on the ship, but never in a skirt. It allowed her

bare foot on the chair and a small amount of her ankle show, as well as a good deal of her leg.

For a woman of the times it was a ridiculous display, and Will had to remind himself not to stare.

"You look like a peacock," Jack muttered.

"Thank you," she returned. "You look like a ragged pirate."

"Thank you," he returned.

"You know, Elizabeth, I have this gorgeous gold-"

"No!" Elizabeth and Will cried at the same time.

"Suit yourself," Pearl said. "I would expect Will to be a little more excited about the

prospect, at least."

"Salvation!" Jack screamed as Ruby returned bearing a two mugs.

"Where's mine?" Pearl cried.

"Sod off. I ain't movin' from this spot again," Ruby told her as she took a seat and buried

herself in her mug.

"Bloody hell. Some sister you are. Want some, mama?" Pearl asked as she moved toward

the bar.

"Not just yet, dear, but thank you all the same," Diamond answered, watching her

daughter head for the bar. "So where are you bound for?" she asked of Jack.

"Lover's Cove, for the newlyweds, then back to Port Royal. Don't want them gone too

long. Beyond that, where the wind takes us. Here's something you'll find interesting." He sat

forward, sweeping his hat off of his head to grin over at Diamond. "Seems your darling daughter

had entrapped a Commodore. He's pursing us across the high seas to save her."

"You shouldna tease me. I think I know me own daughter."

"It's the truth. Ask the young un's if you like."

Will nodded and Elizabeth chuckled. "She was behaving very much like a Lady,"

Elizabeth answered. "I dare say Pearl would send him running given the chance."

"Don't know about that," Jack remarked. "He went after you rightly enough, and you're a

lovely thing to look at. Could be that's what does it for him. Beauty that my daughter is she might

just hold his interest given a chance."

Pearl returned just then, bearing three tankards. Two she plopped down in front of Will

and Elizabeth. "What's this?" Will asked, sniffing at the concoction.

"Salvation. Life."

"I'll pass," Elizabeth said, pushing the tankard away.

"Why?" Pearl asked.

"Because this is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into-"

"Oh, come off it!" Jack cried.

"You're in Tortuga now," Pearl put in. "Old rules don't apply. Besides, who wants a

respectable man?"

"Speaking of which," Diamond broke in, "what is this about you and a Commodore?"

"I danced with him. Waltzed with him. Not even real dancing. I don't know where he got

this silly idea that he loved me from but he can stuff it as far as I'm concerned."

"Just checking," Diamond said. "Can't have you turning respectable on me."

"Never me," Pearl replied. As she spoke she reached into a pocket and pulled out a few

brightly colored beads and began stringing them onto her hair.

"You do that too?" Elizabeth asked, eyeing the beads with interest.

"Too?" Pearl asked. "Ha. I'm the one as got my darling father started on this particular

practice. I usually wear them all the time but they wouldn't fit under the wig so I had to cut them

off."

"And I had to hear about it for nigh unto a week," Jack added.

"You could try it, Elizabeth," Pearl suggested as she began on another twist of hair on the

other side of her face.

"I think I'll pass, thank you all the same," Elizabeth answered.

"Will?" she offered.

Jack laughed at that. "That'd be the day."

"Care to prove him wrong?" Pearl offered. "I'd do it for you."

"No, thank you. I think I can live with Jack being right just this once."

"Don't get used to it," Pearl warned when he displayed a self-satisfied grin.

"I never do with you around, luv," Jack assured her.

"What did you mean by saying waltzing isn't real dancing?" Elizabeth asked.

A grin spread slowly over Pearl's face. "You're going to regret asking that before the

night's out," Jack remarked with a matching grin.

"Why wait?" Pearl asked, thumping the table. She glanced around the tavern that had

filled rather quickly since they came in. "Someone should be playing at the Rustling Reed, and I

haven't been dancing in nearly a week."

"I'm game if Diamond is," Jack said, eyeing the woman next to him. "Making a partner of

the best dancer in Tortuga is too tempting to pass up."

Diamond tilted her head in thought for a moment before nodding. "I suppose I could

handle that. What do you say to an evening off, Ruby?"

"It's certainly been long enough since I had one," Ruby remarked, eyeing Will.

"I don't know if I like this idea," Elizabeth said.

"Well you had better learn to. It was your idea," Pearl told her. "Don't worry, you'll live.

I'd wager you'll even enjoy yourself." She shoved the tankard back toward her. "Drink it. You'll

feel better."

With a sigh Elizabeth sipped the liquid and made a face. "I'm not promising to finish

this."

"Do what you can. You too, Will." Pearl grinned as she settled back, beading finished.

"Do you play the fiddle, Will?"

"No," he answered.

"Now there's a pity," Diamond remarked. "If there ever was a better player than old

Bootstrap I didn't know them. It's sad to think it's finished with."

"Well, he did teach me and I'm not all that bad," Pearl objected.

"My father taught you to play the fiddle?" Will asked.

"Indeed. He knew I wanted to learn and my father wasn't getting around to it very

quickly."

"I'm a Captain, luv. Certain responsibilities come with that."

"Like dallying that wench that bartered her way onboard?"

"Entertaining, luv. I was entertaining 'that wench that bartered her way onboard.'"

"You were fairly 'entertained' yourself."

"Delightful as this conversation is, could we talk about something else, please?" Elizabeth

interrupted.

"I thought we were being very thoughtful, actually," Pearl said, looking slightly hurt. "I

never once said-"

"Hey!" Diamond cried. "That's enough. I find it really amazing that you passed for a Lady

at all."

"It's all about setting. It's easy to do when surrounded by silk and marble. Elizabeth, are

you done with that drink yet?"

"As done as I'm going to get. Let's go."


	6. Brawl

Pearl

Chapie 6

Disclaimer: Not mine

Author's note: Hey, look at all the pretty reviews. Thanks. And I haven't even gotten anything

blasting me and saying they despise Pearl. This is great!

They took to the streets yet again, leaving the suddenly crowded bar. A gun went off to their right. A screaming pack of dirty men ran by hooting. If any of it bothered the pirates and prostitutes that traveled with them they didn't show it. Pearl whistled, twirling in circles around the group, setting the beads now decorating her hair clicking and throwing her skirt about, revealing far more ankle than was proper and earning appreciative whistles from passers by. She grinned at them, blowing kisses if the spirit moved her. As she whirled by Jack offered her a hand, holding it over her head as he twirled her before she returned to her giggling dance.

Elizabeth watched her with a mixture of censure and, Will was startled to find, just a touch of jealousy.

They heard the tavern far before they saw it. Cheers and calls mixed with the high straining of fiddle strings wafted down the street. This street was quieter than the others, people walking purposefully in the same direction as the small group. Pearl stopped dancing although she continued to grin, her cheeks slightly flushed. Jack put an arm around her and pulled her shoulder to meet his. They walked down the street like that, the very picture of the cozy father and daughter. Will couldn't help but smile at the couple, and caught Diamond doing the same. Finally they came to the tavern. Light blared from the large glass windows out into the dirty street. Noise wafted out of the open door as people moved in and out.

Releasing his daughter Jack offered Diamond his arm. "May I, luv?"

"You certainly may, Mr. Sparrow," she answered, slipping her arm through his.

Jack held up one finger to her. "Captain Sparrow."

"My apologias. Captain Sparrow," she corrected herself.

Chuckling Pearl skipped over to Elizabeth and Will. "You two ready for the greatest night of your lives?"

"You're too late, Pearl. That was two nights ago," Will answered.

Pearl stared at him in apparent confusion as Elizabeth grinned up at him. Sudden realization dawned on her and she shook her head. "Married people. Honestly!" she cried. "Come on, Ruby. At least you make sense."

Elizabeth chuckled as Pearl followed her parents into the tavern, dragging her glum-looking sister with her. Leaning closer to Will she rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you."

They entered the tavern, the wave of noise washing over them. There was a bar against the wall to their left, three empty tables dispersed around. Three men with fiddles played on the wall to their right across a wave of dancing people. Those that stood formed a barrier between the dancing and the tables. Pearl pulled them in. "Don't block the door," she leaned close to yell. "Do you want to drink or dance?"

Diamond and Jack were already twirling onto the floor, getting lost in the sea of people. Ruby had apparency found someone she knew and was leaning close to chat, a flirtations smile, the first smile anyone had seen on her this evening, decorating her face. Will reminded himself that the boy was probably a perspective customer and pushed the thought quickly from his mind.

"I don't think I can drink any more," Elizabeth shouted to the girl.

"Dancing it is then," Pearl said, leading them toward a break in the crowd that would

allow them access to the floor.

"I don't know the steps, though," Elizabeth objected.

Pearl stopped to laugh. "Elli, dear, there aren't any. You make it up as you go."

"Don't call me Elli," Elizabeth ordered, eyeing the floor with misgiving.

"All right Lizzie," Pearl answered without missing a beat. "Come on. I'll swing you around the floor a few times. You'll get the hang of it. Will, you just stay-"

She was cut off as an arm snaked around her waist. Pearl turned to look up at a rather beefy pirate (with a skull and cross bones tattoo on his arm) as he grinned to reveal yellowed teeth .

"What do you say to a dance, lassie?" he asked, pulling her to him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline," Pearl answered, carefully removing his arm and stepping back.

"Come now. Surely the Whelp can't have call to both of ya," he argued.

"Ah. No, he doesn't. Just her. But I'm giving dance lessons just now." To demonstrate she grabbed Elizabeth's hand and twirled her. "Later?"

"Count on it, missy."

"Actually, it's Pearl," she countered. The pirate looked at her carefully as if searching for something as she called, "Stay Will," and drug his wife onto the floor.

The pirate continued to look appraisingly at Will as he watched Pearl whisper something to Elizabeth. She responded by shaking her head emphatically, which made Pearl laugh. "So, um, Pearl?"

Will looked up at the looming man. "Yes. That's her name."

"That wouldn't be Pearl Sparrow, would it?"

Will wondered what to say. Jack had enemies, to be certain. And it would follow that Pearl would as well. But they could handle themselves. "The one and only," he finally answered. He nearly chocked when he saw Pearl raise her hands over her head and waggle her hips in a wanton way. Eyes big as dish saucers Elizabeth shook her head again. In the process of dancing by Jack leaned in to say something which made Elizabeth laugh as Pearl swatted at him. Her parents disappeared into the crowd again and her attention returned to Elizabeth.

"The daughter of Jack Sparrow?"

Will glanced up at the big man again. "Captain Jack Sparrow, yes."

"Well I'll be. She's grown."

"You know her?"

"She's my cousin," he answered with a nod. Will nearly chocked. "You all right?"

"Yes," Will gasped out. "Doesn't it bother you, what you were just suggesting with your cousin?"

The burly man shrugged. "It happens. Turned out to be a mighty pretty thing. She's not her sister, though," he added with a glance toward Ruby.

Will nodded agreement. In a technical sense, Pearl was the pretty one. Her features were more refined and properly arranged. But Ruby had her own charms. While Pearl had inherited her father's semi-tall lankiness, accented by the hard labor on a ship that added muscle, Ruby had her mother's curves. Pearl would never posses the bosom or bum Ruby flaunted.

Turning back to his wife Will chuckled as Pearl reached out to place her hands on Elizabeth's hips. Elizabeth, still shaking her head, shoved the offending hands away and backed up, directly into a couple dancing behind her. She turned, no doubt to apologize, but the man released his partner to began to yell. Will and the man next to him moved toward them at once.

Elizabeth stumbled back as the man's partner tugged at his arm. Pearl stepped in between them, obviously telling him to back down. Instead he pulled back and hit her. Elizabeth screamed and stumbled back further, right into Jack's arms. Jack handed her back to Diamond, who pulled her out of the fray. Just as Jack reached Pearl she reared back and hit the man that had just hit her.

Will and the pirate arrived just as he hit the floor, unconscious. The woman he had been dancing with was next to him, cooing in concern as blood ran in a scarlet river from his nose. Holding a handkerchief to her right brow Pearl kicked the man hard in the side. "When he wakes tell him he's lucky I'm in a forgiving mood and let him live." With that she turned to Elizabeth. "You all right, Lizzie?"

"Me? You're the one that got hit!" Reaching up she pulled the bit of cloth from her brow. "You're bleeding!"

"Come on, Lizzie, calm down. This is Tortuga. I wouldn't know I was home unless I got in a brawl," Pearl said.

"Come, dear," Diamond ordered, taking her elbow. "Let's sit you done and get you a drink."

"But I want to dance," Pearl objected.

"No one wants a partner that's going to bleed all over them. That eye's going to swell too. Come on," Jack ordered. With a sigh she followed her father to the table where he sat her down to dab at the split in her eyebrow. "It isn't bad. Won't even leave a scar."

"I'm not some powdered Lady, Jack. I don't care about scars," she sighed.

"Maybe you should," Jack commented.

"I would care," the pirate, who came over bearing a tankard to offer the girl, remarked.

"Should I know you?" Jack asked.

He nodded. "You're my uncle."

"Steven?"

"Markus," he answered with a shake of his head. "Steven's my brother."

"Sophie had another?" Jack asked.

"Two, actually. She has a girl too. You should really stop in and see her from time to

time."

Jack shook his head. "She was fairly angry when I went into piracy."

"She wasn't very happy with me either. Doesn't mean she wouldn't like to see you," he answered.

"Wait. You have a sister Jack?" Elizabeth asked.

"Aye. My twin, if you believe that. Why is it so surprising that I have kin abouts?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "You just didn't strike me as a family type person. Of course, now there's Pearl."

"I may be a scoundrel, 'Lizabeth, but I'm still an inconsistent scoundrel. If I behaved the way you're expecting there'd be no fun to it."

"Well said," Markus remarked.

"Can I dance yet?" Pearl asked, hopping in her chair with impatience. Her eye was slowly swelling shut and turning a very ugly blue.

"All right. You win. You have my permission to dance," Jack sighed.

"Yay!" she crowed. "I get Will!"

"Hey. You don't just 'get' my husband," Elizabeth objected.

"Relax, Lizzie. I want him purely for teaching purposes."

"Yeah right," Jack snorted under his breath.

"Father dear, why don't you try to teach Elizabeth a little something?" Pearl suggested.

"I'm not certain that's a good idea," Elizabeth answered, eyeing Jack. She would never fear the pirate, that was certain, but after his advances while being marooned on an island with him she knew enough to be careful.

"You know what these two need more of?" Jack asked, jerking a thumb toward the couple.

"Rum?" Pearl asked.

"Rum," Jack agreed.

"Oh, no," Will began to disagree.

"You need to loosen up," Pearl argued. "This would help."

"Look, you can just drink it or Pearl can shove it down your throat. Either way the girl is going to insist you drink it," Jack explained as a grinning Pearl nodded eagerly.

Just then the man who had punched Pearl, now sporting a large black eye, stomped over to them. Heaving a huge sigh Pearl tuned to look insolently up at the hulking man. "Yes?" she asked in a very bored voice.

"You have a lot of nerve, girlie."

"I happen to know that, thank you very much," Pearl answered, turning back around.

"Don't turn 'way from me. I ain't finished with you yet," he slurred out, the woman still at his arm tugging at him.

"Well I would suggest you finish. Fast," Jack told him, standing up to face him as Markus did the same.

"Letting the tough guys fight for you now?" the man taunted.

Pearl stood up so fast the chair she had been sitting on skidded out, upsetting the table next to them. Striding over to the man she growled out, "NO ONE fights me battles for me. If I had just been dropped by a woman half my age and a third my weight I would choose me battles more carefully, savvy?"

"He don't mean nothing by it," the mousy woman behind him squeaked out, tugging harder at his sleeve.

"Git off, woman," he growled out, throwing her off his arm so violently he sent her sprawling into the other table and catching her across the face with a loud smack.

Elizabeth gasped, jumping up to go to the girl's aid. Will jumped out of his seat, growling deep in his throat. He'd been raised, as all proper men were, not to hit women. Pearl could be an exception, seeing as how she spent half her time swinging around a pirate ship and the other half picking fights she was more than capable of finishing. But to hit an innocent, obviously caring woman was something completely different.

Pearl didn't even hesitate before pulling back and punching him again. This time she lit on him as soon as he hit the floor, punching him violently.

"Pearl, stop!" Diamond cried, rushing forward.

"Luv, stop. You're going to kill him!" Jack called. Grabbing her around the waist he pulled her, kicking and growling, off of the man.

"Killing him is just what I had in mind!" she growled, trying to struggle away from her father.

Judging from the sounds the man on the floor was making she had managed to break his jaw and his nose bled freely again. "Markus, Will, why don't you show the man out?" Jack suggested, holding the still struggling girl back as her mother tried to calm her.

"With pleasure," Markus growled, hauling the larger man to his feet and dragging him to

the door. With a heave he threw him into the street, Will tailing them behind. Crouching next to the man Markus grabbed his shirt front, a glint of metal revealing a dagger at the drunkard's throat. "Now you listen to me good. If I EVER hear of you hitting another woman, EVER again I will personally slit your throat and squeeze every drop of blood from you myself."

The man made a strangled sound through the blood flowing over his jaw.

Apparently that was enough for Markus. He shoved him back into the dirt of the street and turned back to the tavern. Will came up and gave him a solid kick in the side. "That goes

double for me." The way the man shrunk away with wide eyes Will wondered if he had known Bootstrap Bill. He hoped so. Let him believe he'd just gotten a warning from a ghost.

As he reentered the tavern the woman rushed by him, prominent red mark standing out on her cheek, no doubt off to comfort the man responsible.

Pearl was sitting again, staring poutingly into her tankard as her father talked seriously to her. Several more tankards had appeared on the table. Markus took one and emptied it in one gulp as he sat, shoving a full one toward Will. With a shrug at Elizabeth he drank it. If ever he had needed a drink it was now.

"William. Oh, William. Willie boy. Wakey wakey." William groaned in protest to the voice trying to drag him out of his slumber. Next to him his wife grumbled as well. "Come on sleepy heads. Time to get up."

A soft drumming began in his head as he felt a weight settle on the bed to shake him. "Will-am. Up and at'um. Time to start a lovely new day!"

The pounding was intensifying as he woke. He attempted to hide from the pain by rolling away from the insistent noise. It followed him, whistling in his ear. "You can run but you can't hide. Come on. The Black Pearl sails soon and we need to be on it. Lizzie, you too. Up!"

Elizabeth murmured something unintelligible. "Where am I?" William asked, still trying to avoid the pounding headache that was creeping up on him. Along with it came murky memories. A tavern, a full tankard being constantly shoved into his hand, lively music, dancing. Lord, had he really been doing that? And Elizabeth, she had been nearly as bad.

"In my bed. But we need to be on the ship. Come on, up. Or I'll go get a bucket. I know where to get my hands on some really cold water."

"How long were we asleep?" William asked, cracking bloodshot eyes to scan the room. Pearl's room. He vaguely remembered her settling them into her bed before leaving again. And then the girl herself was looming over him, transformed back into full pirate regalia.

"Three hours, which I would like to point out is three hours longer than I've been asleep," she told him around a yawn.

"I need another ten," Will informed her, rolling back over to cuddle with Elizabeth.

"Oh no you don't. Jack's going to tan MY hide if you aren't ready to go. Come on. Just back onto the ship. I'd wager you can talk him into letting you bed down once you're on board."

"Can't you just carry me?" Will asked.

"Yes, I probably could. But who would carry Elizabeth?"

Will sighed as he opened his eyes to glance down at his still slumbering wife. "I don't think I'm remembering last night correctly."

Pearl laughed at that. "Oh, but you are. You had a good time, both of you. Now up or I'll roll you out onto the floor."

"I'm up," William objected. "Unfortunately the man sawing into my head is too."

"Sorry. I'll make some tea that will help that when we get on board the Black Pearl." She glanced down at Elizabeth. "Do you want me to go get some cold water? We can wake her up."

"No, I'll just carry her. What's the good of having a blacksmith for a husband if he doesn't carry you around from time to time?"

"Well, that's what I'd think but I'm not Lizzie."

Will chuckled as he scooped his wife up and followed Pearl down the stairs, through the tavern, and into the nearly empty streets. "Thank you for letting us sleep in your bed, by the way."

She shrugged. "I wasn't using it. If I had really wanted to get some sleep I just would have crawled in with the two of you."

"Now that would have been interesting," Will remarked, too distracted by his pounding headache to be properly shocked by the idea.

"Especially if Jack came to wake us."

"I don't even want to think about that," Will chuckled, watching her spin as they walked through the streets. "Please don't do that. You make me dizzy just watching you."

"Don't be such a wet blanket. I'm happy. I get to go back on my ship."

"Don't let Jack hear you call it your ship," Will warned.

"He wouldn't mind. It is named after me, after all. And he's promised me captainship when he kicks off."

"Now that's a dangerous move. You have any plans to assassinate him?"

"Not yet. He did just get my ship back after all. I may as well let him enjoy it for a while."

Will chuckled, which he immediately regretted as pain flared in his head. "Pearl Sparrow, scourge of the high seas."

"And don't you forget it. You had better be nice to me."

"I am nice to you," he objected.

"And you had better stay that way," she answered, skipping up the dock toward the ship. "Ho the Pearl," she called in greeting.

"Ho the nasty wench," Jack called back.

"You shouldn't talk about Lizzie like that," Pearl scolded mockingly as she pecked her father on the cheek.

"I wasn't," he returned.

"Will's gonna hit you if you call him that again," she remarked, skipping off before Jack could correct her.

Jack sighed as he watched her go, shaking his head. "How did I ever get in this mess?"

"I'm pretty sure Diamond could explain it if you needed her to," Will answered.

Jack blinked over at him. "Will, that was positively sarcastic. I'm so proud of you!"

"Well, I'm not exactly myself," Will answered. "I'm going to go put Elizabeth to bed. You need me to help pull out of port?"

"Nah. Go ahead and sleep it off. We have a few more crew as should arrive and we'll pull out. Should reach Lover's Cove around sundown. Rest up. Wouldn't want Elizabeth to be let down after the first round," Jack said with a wink.

"If there weren't a man with an anvil pounding in my head right now I'd get you for that."

"Then I'll thank my daughter for pouring those drinks down your throat. Go to bed, Will."

"Night Jack."

Author's Note: Tee hee. That was a fun chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it too. As a special treat to

everyone who reviews I've got Jack locked in a closet (sorry Will fans, I tried to get Pearl to grab him but Elizabeth threatened to kill her). Everyone who reviews gets five minutes with him.

Mwa ha ha. No maiming though. He's too pretty.

Next up: Norrington Finally shows up (it's about time I got around to that, don't you think?)


	7. Capture

Pearl 7 

Disclaimer: Not mine. Damn. Except Pearl. She's mine, and if anyone tries to kidnap her they will die a horrible death!

Author's Note: Holy avalanche of reviews, Batman! This is awesome. I love you guys. Although I don't know whether most of these were in response to my pleas or the offer of Jack in the closet. (Muffled voice from behind screams, "I told you, my name isn't Jack! I'm Johnny Depp! Let me out! I'm married for heaven's sakes!") See how silly he is, trying to escape the closet by claiming he isn't him? Tricky old Jack.

One minor problem though. Don't freak out, I'm working through it. I just realized as I worked through the story in my head that I was turning Norrington into, pardon me for saying this, a total pussy. Sorry, but that's the best way I can describe it. And I realized that, number one I don't think that would be true to the character, number two I didn't like it much, and number three Pearl wouldn't either. So I'm working on it. Apologies all around if you don't like it and I promise not to revoke your Jack privileges if you tell me so.

Added bonus: since I got so many reviews you all get fifteen minutes of closet time, and if you review again I'll give you fifteen. Just be sure to save some for me. wink, wink

"Ship ho," Gibbs called down from his perch in the crow's nest.

Will's neck snapped around, as did Pearl's. She stood and walked with poise and balance most monkeys would envy to the edge of the sail the two of them had been tightening, pushing her hat back off of her forehead to stare at the horizon. Below them Elizabeth moved to the rail to shade her eyes and look in the same direction.

"What sort of ship?" Jack called from below. He'd been helping tie off the lines as Will and Pearl tightened them, leaving Anamaria in charge of the helm. He may have been the Captain but he enjoyed proving to the crew that he didn't balk at hard labor.

"Can't tell," Gibbs answered.

"Five gold says it's Norrington," Anamaria remarked.

"Belay that," Jack ordered. "We need no more bad luck following us about."

"I don't know who else it could be," Pearl called down. "We are sort of in the middle of nowhere."

"Someone must have told him where we were headed," Gibbs said.

"We don't know that it's him," Will pointed out.

"Well said. No use panicking until we have good reason," Jack pointed out.

"Who's panicking?" Pearl asked.

"Luv, you wouldn't have sense enough to panic if you were facing down a pack of rabid wolves," Jack remarked. With an indifferent grin she rubbed at the black eye she had earned the previous night. "How long to the Cove?" he asked as he approached the helm.

"Three hours at least. The wind ain't with us," Anamaria sighed.

"There ain't nothing but open sea for miles around us," Pearl called as she slid down to the deck.

"There isn't anything but open sea for miles," Elizabeth corrected. "I know you can speak properly. I've heard you."

"Sorry. Tortuga creeping into me," Pearl said with a wave of her hand. "Ideas Father dear?"

"This is the fastest ship in the sea," Elizabeth pointed out.

"Aye, but they're coming in from the east. They've caught a good tail wind," Anamaria explained.

Sighing Jack took the wheel and spun it hard. "Let's see if we can't catch a bit o' that."

"It'll send us off course," Pearl warned him.

"We can turn back. If we get to the Cove late then we get there late. We've no pressing matter waiting on us."

"It's little use," Anamaria remarked. "They have momentum with them."

"Trust in the ship," Jack ordered. "Gibbs?"

"No doubt she's headed straight for us. And I'd wager that's an English flag."

"Who would have spilled to a Commodore?" Pearl demanded.

"Could be just about anyone if he didn't tell them he was a Commodore," Anamaria pointed out.

"I can't see him taking off his shiny blue coat just to talk to rabble," Pearl said.

"Could be he had to crew ask around," Jack answered. "Take her, Anamaria," he ordered, scaling the crow's nest to gaze out at the approaching ship. With a sigh he shook his head. "That's the Interceptor, and no doubt about it."

"Well, that settles that," Pearl said as Jack climbed back down. Will and Pearl followed him back to the helm. "Go rouse the rest of the crew," he ordered the woman. "All of them."

Pearl stepped up close to him. "We can take them," she told him in an almost whisper.

"Aye, we can. But I've no doubt there'll be casualties. He'll have us well out crewed."

Pearl shook her head. "But that's the thing. Three quarters of them will be regular crew. Half of them will be standing in awe of the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow and the other half certain the ship is still cursed. Jack, we've nothing to fear."

"Don't get cocky, girl," Jack ordered. "I know Norrington. Far as he's concerned I've just crossed a line I aught not cross, kidnaping nobles. He'll have his crew straightened out right enough."

"So surrender and wait for me to get you out. I'll go dress up and play the terrified damsel until I get the chance to free you," Pearl answered.

"I will NEVER surrender this ship!" Jack snapped at her. "Especially to that man."

"Right. Should have seen that coming," Pearl murmured. "Okay. What say we all hide and wait for them to board. That way hopefully no one will get shot. Give me a few men to cut me a path to Norrington and let me see if I can't work out a miracle."

"What do you plan to do?" Elizabeth asked.

Pearl shrugged, twirling a bit and suddenly looking extremely innocent. "I'm Bethany Maltrey. I simply plan to exploit that to its fullest possibilities."

"That would work better if you didn't have a black eye," Will pointed out.

"That's all right. I have other feminine whiles to make up for that."

Norrington eyed the ship uneasily as they pulled up beside it. "It's abandoned?" Gillette asked beside him.

"No," Norrington answered, looking at the empty deck. He took in the full sails, the immaculate deck, and the helm held to their corse using a piece of rope tied to the rail. The fact that they were moving made boarding that much harder. "Sparrow would never abandon this ship. They're there. Lying in wait. Damn that pirate and his tricks."

"We could just sink it," Gillette pointed out with a glance toward the cannons.

"And damn Elizabeth and her cousin to death? No, we have no choice but to wait them out or go ahead and board."

"So which shall it be?"

With a heavy sigh Norrington turned to regard the crew behind him, thinking of the poor terrified noble woman trapped somewhere in the ship. Probably having to fight of advances from her Captain. He doubted Jack Sparrow would ever force himself on a woman but he most certainly wasn't above attempting to charm them. "Prepare to board."

"Now?" Will whispered. From his hiding spot with Pearl and Cotton he could see Norrington and Gillette pass by with his men.

"Not yet," Pearl whispered back.

"But he's right there," Will argued. He hated hiding, cowering, when they should have been fighting.

"Not yet. I want him to see me fight a little first."

"How will that help convince him that you're Bethany Maltrey?" Will asked, glancing at her apparel. She'd refused to change into a skirt and still wore her pirate garb.

"I am Bethany Maltrey. All he has to do is look at me. You must learn to be patient, William. Wait for the opportune moment."

Will snorted in disgust. Pearl held up her hand as Norrington paused to look around the ship. "All right. NOW!"

With the final word she burst forward to engage the first man, a soldier in full British uniform, with her sword. She ducked as he shot off his pistol and returned to clashing swords with him, forcing him back toward the Commodore.

The rest of the Pearl's crew burst forth as they had discussed. Will and Cotton got to work moving toward Norrington, cutting a path for Pearl. She dispatched her opponent with a slice across the arm that distracted him long enough to let her turn away toward Norrington. Her orders had been to keep from hurting the crew as much as was possible. Since the Pearl's crew knew it would be a short fight none of them objected.

Finally Pearl drew even with the Commodore. She gave him a mocking bow before taking her first swipe at him. "Lovely to see you again, Edward," she greeted with a grin over their crossed swords.

"I don't know who gave you my name, but I would thank you to call me Commodore, or Norrington at the very least," he replied, trading blows with her.

She chuckled as she forced him backward and he stumbled over a twist of rope, barely managing to keep her at bay. "So proper all of a sudden. And only three days ago you were so kind to ask me to call you by your given name."

He paused, eyes widening. "Bethany?"

"Actually it's Pearl," she answered, bowing yet again. "Or Miss Sparrow, if you will."

"Jack Sparrow is your?"

"Father," she answered, nearly getting through his defense in his shock. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm a pirate through and through. And now that you know me for the scallywag that I am I can do something I wanted to do the night of the wedding."

Putting some strength behind her swing she forced his sword down and away from them although he retained his grip. Quick as a flash she darted in to close the space between them, stopping his upswing , and pressing her lips to his. Norrington gurgled in surprise. Just as quickly she pulled away, grabbing his sword from his suddenly slack fingers, and stepping back to level both neatly at his throat, cutting off any chance of retreat.

Norrington quickly turned bright red. "You cheated."

"What can I say? I'm a pirate, remember?" she said with a dignified nod of her head. Turning she raised her voice to call, "Oi! Attention all! Anyone as wants the good Commandore's head to remain situated on his shoulders had best seriously consider dropping their swords and surrendering to the crew o' my ship." Silence reigned as the two crews froze, most in mid-stroke. "I'm not kidding!" Pearl added when no one moved, tightening the hold of the swords and drawing a drop of blood from his neck.

"Drop your weapons!" Gillette ordered, dropping his own.

Jack came over behind Pearl as his crew gathered up the invaders. "Brilliant move, luv," he remarked, scratching at his goatee.

"What can I say? I take after my father. Brig?"

"I think it would be best," he agreed. "Keep a close eye on him."

"No troubles. We'll lead. Right this way, Edward. I mean, Commodore. Lads! If you would all be so good as to follow me?" Pearl called over her shoulder.

Jack and Pearl led the way down to the brig, Jack opening both cells. "Commodore if you would," Pearl said, motioning toward the one on the right. He obediently entered as Pearl turned back to regard the group gathered behind her. "Let's put the shiny red coats in with the good Commodore," she suggested. "And everyone NOT wearing a corset can go in the other cell."

The standard crew, all dressed much like those on board the Pearl, laughed as they obediently marched into the indicated cell. "Gilder, Mitchell, stay down here and watch 'em," Jack ordered.

"Let's drop anchor, go drop anchor on the Interceptor, and see what we can find. Then we'll have to discuss the fine lads' fates."

Pearl watched him go, shaking her head. "Don't worry. He's not going to kill you. Worst he'll do is maroon you and send someone after you. I'll see to that." She meandered over to the cell Norrington was in, leaning on the bars to lay her chin in her hands and grin up at him. "Don't suppose you'd like to tell me how many you've left on the Interceptor and where they are?"

"I'd die first," Norrington replied.

"Yeah, I figured you'd say something like that. But keep in mind that we do have a full crew and they're a few scouts. If there's anyone dying it won't be us." She paused to look up at him. He remained silent, glaring down at her. "Fine. Be that way. I'll be back, darling. Try not to pine," she added, blowing him a kiss before disappearing up the short flight of stairs.

"Wait!" he called suddenly. "Bethany!"

"It's Pearl," she told him reappearing. "Miss me so soon?"

"Hardly. Elizabeth, is she safe?"

"Now that's touching. You were content enough to run me through but you're having a tizzy worrying over Lizzie. She's fine. Locked up in Jack's rooms during the attack. I don't doubt but that she's up on the deck this moment. I personally wouldn't feel safe with Will out of irons if we had his love under siege. Is that all?"

"Yes," he answered.

She returned several hours later with her father to find Gilder and Mitchell swaggering around pompously with Norrington and Gillette's powdered wigs balanced on their head. "What exactly are you doing?" she demanded.

Gilder swaggered over to take the wig from his head and plop it on hers. "Oh, Lass, it makes you look just like a man o' the times."

"Sod off," she ordered, grabbing the wig off her head and coughing in disgust at the powder surrounding them. "Mitchell, give me that."

"You two are both relieved," Jack said, nodding toward the stairs.

As the men left Pearl looked over the wigs with disgust. "I don't know how you can stand these things. I don't know why any woman would find it attractive." Hanging them on a peg by the door she approached the cell. "I guess I've just been raised by a fine proper Irish lass. Give me a lad dark of eye and hair." Reaching through the bars she batted at the powder still clinging to Norrington's dark hair. "You really look much better like this."

With a quick motion he caught her arm, turning it in a way that should have been mildly painful. Pearl didn't even flinch. "Suppose I break your arm?" he suggested.

"You won't."

"Sure of that, are you?"

"Very. For one thing, it wouldn't get you free, only anger my father, which isn't a good idea." She nodded toward Jack, who was leaning against the wall just out of their reach, watching them with mild interest. "For another thing, I'm a woman and you've been taught not to harm them. When she jumps out at you with a sword it's a bit different, granted, but I'm unarmed and causing you no trouble at the moment."

He shoved her arm away with a look of disgust. "You're no woman. You're hardly a girl."

"I'm considerably older than you in the ways of the world," she answered.

He snorted, then turned his attention to Jack. "My remaining crew?"

Pearl sat down in a chair, propping her booted legs up on one of the metal crossbars. "In your brig, on the Interceptor. We may bring them over later if we're so inclined." Jack grabbed the remaining chair and settled down staring at the men in the cell. "Wanna hear the plan?"

"If you're inclined to tell me," Norrington answered.

Jack grinned. "Won't ask for nothing in the world, will ya? I know the sort."

"You ARE the sort," Pearl corrected.

"You're one to talk," he countered.

"Hey, you spend a few months working the streets of Tortuga. Then we can talk about asking for things from people."

"Wait. You're a prostitute?" Gillette gasped.

Pearl's eyes were flinty as she glared at him, exact copies of Jack's. Under the combined stares Gillette took an involuntary step back. "I don't think I like your tone," Jack remarked.

"Leave it alone, Jack. I don't care," Pearl objected.

"Maybe I do." Jack stood, taking long steps over to the brig. "How many prostitutes do you know?"

"None," Gillette said indignantly.

"How lucky you are to be shielded from that sort of thing. Do you know what it takes, to turn a woman to selling herself on the streets? Do you know what grueling hunger it takes to send them out there? Do you know what it does TO them, giving pieces of themselves away like that?"

"Jack, I said leave it," Pearl interrupted. "It's cruel, leaving them without knowing their fate. And for the record, no I'm not a prostitute. I've very narrowly avoided my mother and sister's profession. I've found piracy much more to my taste."

Growling under his breath Jack returned to his seat by his daughter. "We've decided that first thing tomorrow we'll herd you all over into your own brig, leave you there long enough for you to get away, and let the person from my crew I leave on board let you out.

"That isn't much of a plan, Captain Sparrow," Norrington remarked. "Your crewman will hang. Even if I wanted to let them live I have a duty to see them prosecuted."

"That's why we aren't giving you that choice," Jack answered. "You won't hang the person I'm leaving you with."

"Jack, I gave you more credit than this. Who's life are you willing to throw away?"

"Mine," Pearl answered with a grin.

"You?"

"Me," she repeated. "Think about it, Commodore. There isn't a high court on earth as will sentence a woman to hanging. And even if you did somehow convince them after the public sees me they would never stand for it."

"What makes you think that?" Norrington asked.

Suddenly her eyes seemed huge, full of water as if she were on the verge of tears. "You wouldn't. Surely you wouldn't." She stood, moving toward the cage they stood in. She grabbed the bars, pressing her face close as if she herself were imprisoned. Reaching through she took the Commodore's hand, squeezing it, looking up at him with large, brown, watery eyes, the green of her healing black eye making her look all the more miserable. "I didn't do anything. I didn't! I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kidnaped by bloody pirates and you would hang me for that?!" Tears suddenly leaked from her large chocolate eyes, making tracks down her slightly freckled and weathered cheeks. "I'm a good girl. Honest I am. I didn't mean no harm to no one. Honest I didn't. You wouldn't see me dead, would you?" She tugged at his hand, bringing him close to the bars as she looked up into his eyes.

"Bloody hell," Norrington muttered, dropping her hand and tearing himself away from the girl. "No. I dare say I wouldn't."

"She's bloody brilliant," one of the crew remarked.

"You don't know the half of it," Norrington told him.

"Thank you," Pearl said, straightening suddenly and grinning happily. "Plus there is still Bethany Maltrey. The Governor himself would testify to that."

Norrington stared up at her as she smiled pleasantly at him. "And the goods on my ship?"

Jack grinned again. "He's smarter than he looks," he told his daughter.

"I know. It's the coat, I think. Although I must say getting that powdered flea trap off of his head helps."

"I would rather agree with that. We've left you with what you need to get to Port Royal. You may consider the rest payment for our trouble."

"Bloody pirate. That's robbery!" Gillette raged.

"Yes, yes, I would agree with that," Jack remarked. "But was what you were plannin' to do to us really so kind? Kill those that got in your way and hang the rest, aye? Considering that I'd say I'm letting you off rather lightly." Turning on his heal he regarded his daughter. "You takin' the first watch?"

"That's the plan. Gibbs'll let me off in a few hours.

"Get some sleep tonight for a change," he ordered.

"Yes SIR," she answered sarcastically with a salute. Rolling his eyes Jack left.

Author's Note: Another day, another chapter. I hope this uploads all right. I just went out to and I don't know what the program is doing to my other stories. If this doesn't work rest assured that I will do everything in my power to correct it.

Next chapter: Norrington and Pearl get to talk. Fun, fun, fun. For Pearl, anyway. I'd say Norrington is getting screwed. Until then, love you reviewers!


	8. Conversations

Pearl 

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Pirates are now mine. I stole them and Disney can't have them back. In fact, I stole all of them in the whole world and I'm using them for my own twisted purposes. Except for Barbossa. Anyone want him? Didn't think so.

Author's note: Such nice, kind people. If Disney came knocking asking me to write a script for the second movie I'd get right on it. Of course contract negotiations would include my retaining ownership of the keys to certain actors' trailers.

Bad news, I'm afraid. The elusive Captain Jack Sparrow has temporarily escaped my grasp. Don't freak out, I said temporary. I'll get him back and I promise to share.

As for my screwed comment, honest-to-God I didn't even realize I slipped that in there, which is unusual for me. I must say that I rather enjoyed the effect, however. No, Norrington does not get screwed in that sense, you dirty little reviewers. At least...not yet. Not that Pearl isn't trying. I mean, the girl WAS raised by prostitutes and she's not very good at keeping her hands off of what she wants. But Norrington is a Commodore and it wouldn't be any fun if everything worked out perfectly. I could torture you great reviewers. Hee hee.

Without further ado:

"So are we going to starve to death or do the prisoners get food?" one of the regular crew asked.

"No. I brought you food. Thank you for reminding me," she said, springing up to retrieve a basket she'd left by the door. "It's only bread, but it'll fill your stomachs. I brought you drink as well. Wine for the stuffed shirts and rum for you scurvy dogs."

The crew cheered as she passed out the bounty. "Where did a pirate get wine?" Gillette asked, glancing at the bottle before drinking.

"Kept it on hand for Lizzie and Will," she answered with a grin.

"What if we throw the bottles at you?" Norrington queried.

She shrugged. "If you got me you'd still be locked up."

"Besides which, this one was raised up in Tortuga," one of the older crew said as he drew forward. "This one has plenty of experience dodging bottles. How's Diamond?"

Pearl grinned fondly up at the old man. "Very good, Port, thank you for asking. Sorry not to give you a proper greeting. I thought perhaps you wanted to keep some of your shadier dealings to yourself."

"Eh, let 'um holler. There are plenty of good ships as would be glad for an old sea dog like myself. Is she still dancin'?" he asked.

"Always," she answered with a grin.

"How about you?" Port asked.

She spun obligingly, grinning over her shoulder as she moved to a beat only she could hear. "Naturally. You can take a girl out of Tortuga but you can't take Tortuga out of the girl."

"It's a pity to be sure," another member of the regular crew remarked. "A lass pretty as you should have a partner to match."

"Volunteering, Match?" she asked, reaching through the bars to take his hand and sway back and forth as far as that would allow.

"Actually, I was thinking the good Commodore."

Pearl laughed outright at that. "Oh, yes. He'd fit right in at the Dancing Maiden."

"Pardon me, but are you suggesting that you're too good for me?" Norrington asked.

Pearl tilted her head for a moment, dropping Match's hand to take jittering steps over to his cell. "I suppose. My tastes to run toward heartier men, after all. You'd be shot before you set foot in the tavern."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" he objected.

"Hmm. Haven't spent much time around my father have you?" she asked. "You're bound to hear a good many more ridiculous things before you leave this ship. Asides, Match, I have danced with him. I must say he might be some fun if he would only loosen up." She chuckled at the look on his face as she twirled her way back to her chair.

"Is that how you got that black eye?" Norrington asked. "Loosening up? Or did your father lose his patience and hit you?"

"For the record, my father would never lay a hand on me," Pearl said.

"A pity he's never gotten the same guarantee from you," Port remarked with a laugh.

Pearl laughed as well before continuing. "Actually, this was a man in Tortuga. Lizzie bumped into him dancing and he wasn't wise enough to leave well enough alone. He ended up considerable worse off than me."

"Wait a moment. Elizabeth was dancing?" Norrington asked.

"Not very well. Not then, anyway. It took a considerable amount of rum to get her to dance properly."

"How be your brother?" Port asked, changing the topic as Norrington turned an interesting shade of red.

"Fine, so far as I know. Haven't heard from him in a while, but then that's hardly unusual."

"Is he a pirate too?" Norrington asked.

"Nope. Rum runner. He's the black sheep of the family."

"How's his daughter?"

"Great. She's getting bigger every day. You should have seen her hanging on Jack begging to come along."

"The lass wants to be a pirate?" Port asked.

"I don't rightly know. I think she just wants to get onto a ship. She's young yet. She doesn't understand the challenges that come of being a woman on a ship. She may yet change her mind."

"What's her mother think of all this?"

"Oh, terrified of course. The poor dear's spent the last ten years trying to get her husband off of the sea. Now I've run off again and her daughter wants to follow. I've tried explaining that it's in the blood but she's determined not to hear such things."

"As well she should," Norrington put in. "The sea is no place for a woman, Especially a young one. You of all people should know that."

"Aye, but the streets of Tortuga ain't either and I grew up there. The ships are considerably safer."

"That's very sad," he remarked.

"That's life," she answered. "If I can give you a little advice, marry a nice lass whose family has no head for sailing. Then you can pray your daughter has no yearning for it. Because if she does and you lock her in her room with her embroidery you shall have a very angry girl and no peace in your house."

"By those standards Elizabeth would have been a perfect candidate," Norrington pointed out.

"Judging by her father, aye. Her mother must have been a wildcat."

"I don't know," Port said, training his eyes on Norrington. "I'd wager the man would be bored stiff if he married some lovely example of nobility. He'd have much more fun with a lass like you, Pearl. Someone he could stand toe-to-toe with and argue."

Pearl laughed as she settled into her chair, pulling her hat down over her eyes. "Oh, aye. I can just see me moving into the mansion now. Afternoon tea with the Duchess and walks by the dock at night. Corsets and frills and lace. And if that didn't do it I'd go crazy being locked away from the sea. You know that, Port."

"Aye, I do. I'm just sayin' is all."

A knock sounded behind them. Pearl turned curiously toward the open door, wondering who would knock when there wasn't even a door and only prisoners to interrupt. "Yes?" she called. Elizabeth descended the stairs. "Lizzie, dear, there isn't any reason to knock. If I were in my private quarters there wouldn't be any reason to knock. You're on a pirate ship, not some fine ball."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Being polite never hurts."

"It hurts me," Pearl remarked. "Painful application of tedious rules, that's what it is. Did you want something?"

"Jack sent me. Wants your opinion. Something about the mast. He wrote it down, said I could never remember it properly," she said, anger coloring the last part.

"A word of advice. Jack's only joy in women he can't, ahem, covet, especially pretty ones, is in making them as heated as he it. Just be sickly sweet to him. It'll drive him right up the wall," Pearl advised as she took the parchment Elizabeth offered.

"I am glad to see you're well, Elizabeth," Norrington took the opportunity to put in.

"As I am glad to see you in a similar condition," she answered politely. "I am glad we could work something out to see you safely off."

"With the brilliant Jack Sparrow on the case how could he not come up with something?" Gillette remarked scathingly.

"But it wasn't Jack's idea," Elizabeth disagreed. "It was Pearl's."

"Brilliance runs in the family," Pearl put in. "Unfortunately, it's closely linked with insanity. I figure it's worth it, but that's just me. Tell him port side and three feet should do it."

"I will. Thank you, Pearl."

"Thank you," she returned. "Oh, and Lizzie? If I don't see you tomorrow, have a good time. I know I would."

Elizabeth laughed at the nasty glint in her eye. "Tortuga whore," she accused.

"So're you," Pearl returned with a laugh. "You just hide it under that proper Lady act."

"You're impossible," Elizabeth finally sighed, turning to ascend the stairs.

Pearl chuckled as she settled back in her chair, eyes falling on Norrington. "It is a pity, really," Pearl remarked. "I dare say you would have made a fair pirate."

"I beg your pardon?" he chocked out.

"You're just a victim of good breeding."

"I beg to differ," he replied.

"Oh yeah?" Pearl stood, moving over to the bars. "Let's play a game, shall we? Suppose you were born into my circumstances." She settled down cross legged on the floor. "Let's suppose you were born to a prostitute in Tortuga. Now, first off when you're born your mother's behind. Can't work when she's pregnant after all. Hopefully the one of the tavern owners has put her up, so right away she owes him a debt. Now, she needs to work but babies don't attract customers so she joins 'bout ten other prostitutes with little ones taking turns watchin' the other little ones. So not only is she in debt but one out o' every ten days she ain't workin'. And she has you to see fed and clothed as well."

"What about my father?" he asked.

"Your ma is a prostitute. No one knows who he might be."

"You did," he pointed out.

"Not until I was five," she answered. "And even then he didn't feel beholden to chip in. Growin' up you'd try to chip in by pulling what you can from lightening pockets. Gotta be careful, though. Most o' the people runnin' 'round Tortuga grew up there and know how it goes."

It was as if the memory drew out the crass, uneducated speech of the street. Suddenly there was no doubt that the woman sitting before them was anything but noble.

"Then you hit ten or so. Hear the sea a'callin' and leave yer mother, more of a blessing than a curse for her, I can tell you. Get yourself a job on some leaky tub the rum runners be usin' as a Cabin Boy."

"I could run a tavern," Norrington interrupted.

"Not unless you be the tavern owner's son and you can prove it, or you come upon a large sum of gold. No, you're on the straight track to piracy or starvation, and I'd wager you're all for piracy. So bein' a Cabin Boy is probably the worst job in the world but you learn the ropes and get a recommendation from the captain that gets you a real job. Now, you can stick with the rum runners but piracy pays more and it's considerable more exciting."

"I could become a merchant sailor," he pointed out.

"Aye, but that doesn't pay a'tall and anyone as ever learns you're from Tortuga won't be shy 'bout tellin' you you got no business 'round proper folk. It's all about where you're born and how much money you're born with," she told him. "Maybe you should think of that next time you go trying to hang the man as just saved a Lady's life." With that last bit of advice she returned to her chair, propped her boots up on the cell Norrington currently occupied, and pulled the hat low over her eyes. "I'd suggest you get some sleep, gents. It's a long time until dawn."

Norrington sat staring at the girl for a long time after that. He'd been confused at first, unable to see any remains of the sweet, caring, and rather innocent Bethany Maltrey in the pirate girl. After her story, however, he was certain he understood. She was the kind woman he had danced with at the wedding, she had merely had a life hard enough to obscure her true nature. He imagined it was only natural, hiding any sweetness she might maintain behind a gruff exterior in an effort to preserve it. It would take uncommon strength to live the life she had just described to him. He knew many of the children living on the street didn't survive. He wasn't certain he could have done it.

And she did care. He had seen it in her eyes when she spoke of the hard life her mother and sister had, perhaps with a touch of guilt at having escaped it. She rode the waves taking care of her father. Risking her neck--and it was a risk, whatever she might say--to see them safely returned to their ship without putting her father's crew into danger.

He remained in his sitting space on the floor, staring at her as the other men snored around him, lulled to sleep by wine and rum. He could have demanded the cot bolted to the wall, being the highest ranking officer present, but he knew he couldn't sleep anyway. Instead he studied Pearl intensely. He'd never met anyone like her.

Her hat was pulled low over her face but he could see just a glimpse of bright red hair having escaped the tale at the base of her neck. Her neck curved gracefully down into the neck of her man's shirt, laced up tight and close. The long jacket, so like her father's, was wrapped tight around her to ward off the chill of the moist air, her arms crossed over her chest to hold it closed with her hands tucked under the too-large sleeves to keep them warm.

Although the dark jacket was held closed over her chest none of the shiny brass buttons held it closed and it fell open around her legs. Norrington had to fight hard to keep from blushing at the idea of how clearly he could see the shape of her crossed legs through the soft men's breaches. Her belt was a plain black affair with a well-polished gold buckle. The sword hung down her left side, tip resting on the floor, hilt free should it be needed in a hurry. The soldier in him approved.

Her boots rested on the bars only inches from his face. He did blush when he realized that by shifting a bit he could look down the baggy leg and glimpse her ankle--the most erotic part of a woman, as everyone knew. He paused suddenly when he caught sight of something. It could have just been dirt but then her clothes were all immaculate and she seemed very clean, by pirate standards at least. Leaning further he looked more closely. Yes, there was certainly something dark on her ankle. A regular pattern. It looked deliberate.

Glancing up at her face he reached through the bars, wishing he could see her eyes. Gently as he knew how he caught the hem of the pant leg and pushed it up. Dark ink shown through in the murky light. A tattoo. Of–

"If you want to undress me, Commodore, all you have to do is ask." He looked up to find the hat pressed back to reveal her eyes. Eyes so like Jack's, and completely unlike them at the same time. The same color, certainly, but while his sparkled with near-constant jest, hers were dark and guarded. "After all, I am a mere whore."

He snatched his hand back guiltily, but didn't remove his eyes from hers. "No, you aren't," he disagreed.

She laughed at that, low and soft and nearly devoid of humor. "How would you know that?"

"I've seen it," he answered. "In your eyes."

"When?"

"When we were dancing."

She rolled her eyes. "Ug. You nobles and your romantic ideas. Asides, that wasn't me. That was Bethany."

"As you're fond of reminding me, you are Bethany," he returned.

Leaning forward she pulled up her pant leg. "I wasn't kidding. All you had to do was ask."

Turning her leg she displayed a sparrow flying over ocean waves. It was an exact duplicate of the one he'd seen on Jack's arm. "Like it? I did it myself."

"You?" he repeated.

"Me," she answered. "You should have seen the position I had to twist myself into to get to it. Half of the men in the tavern were howling and the other half drooling uncontrollably."

"Did you do your father's as well then?"

"Yep. And between you and me," she drew close to the bars to whisper, "he howled like a stuck pig."

Norrington chuckled. "I wouldn't have thought it of him. I assumed he was fairly tough."

"In front of others he is. When he's inflicting pain upon himself it's a completely different story. It was the same when I pierced his ears. Lord, you'd think I was killing him." She chuckled. "If you ever want one I could do it. I could tattoo 'Commandore' across your forehead."

He chuckled despite himself. "I'll remember that." He took a moment to study her face, all too aware that she watched him just as closely. He wondered how she broke her nose, but decided it was best to leave it alone in the end. It could be an unhappy memory, and in his experience women didn't appreciate people pointing out flaws in their face. While the pirate girl was hardly a proper Lady it wasn't worth chancing.

"What're you thinking?"

"Honestly?" he asked.

A smile flirted over her face. "I promise not to hold it against you."

He returned her smile. "You're the oddest woman I've ever met."

She grinned in truth then, looking very much like her father with a very distinctive feminine light. "Thank you."

"And the most beautiful."

The smile disappeared as if you had never been. A slight blush--he had to lean forward to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him--spread over her cheeks. Still the frown flitting over her face was anything but pleased, much like her voice as she murmured, "You shouldn't say such things."

"Why not?"

"People will talk," she answered.

"And a woman that just called herself a whore is worried about people talking?" he asked with a twist of one dark eyebrow.

"I do when they speak of ol' Pearl going soft. I've worked hard for my place in this crew."

"I'm sure you have," he answered. "But have you ever thought of settling down? I mean, you could become a maid or-"

Her laughter cut him off. "Do I strike you as the sort of person who would do well taking orders?"

"You could be a seamstress."

"I can't sew."

"Or a cook."

"I can't cook. Look, Commodore-"

"Edward," he broke in. Realizing what he'd just said he added, "Since everyone's asleep you may as well."

"All right, Edward. The only profession fit for me besides piracy is prostitution, and I've been very glad to escape that."

"I don't believe that," he put in. "Besides, you wouldn't have to do anything, really. You can behave in proper society. You could marry and just sit around all day doing as you please."

Pearl snorted. "I'd be a prostitute first. That profession is more honest. Marriage is prison. Babies and a gilded cage. Never me. Keep me from the sea and I'll whither and die."

"What if you fell in love?"

She laughed again. "Pirates don't love. Not ever," she answered knowingly.

"Why not?"

"Because it ends in disaster every time," she replied with a grin. "If they aren't killed in a raid an enemy will get to them just to get to you. Much easier to avoid the whole affair."

"Lass?" They both looked up to find Gibbs standing behind her. "Not interuptin' anything, am I?"

"No," Pearl laughed. "Just the good Commodore here trying to talk me into playing it straight."

Gibbs snorted. "Good luck with that. You can go, lassy. M' turn to keep watch. Do yerself a favor and get some sleep."

"Ah, no rest for the wicked. Is father still up?"

"Last I knew," Gibbs answered. "Sleep well girlie."

She found her father at the helm. Despite the fact that the anchor was down and they weren't moving at all he seemed to feel the need to guide the gently rocking ship. Used to his eccentricities and fanatical obsession with the ship, his daughter didn't comment on his odd behavior as she moved to stand beside him, looking out on the dark ship.

He caught her around the waist, pulling her close to rest his chin on her shoulder in a fatherly manner. Pearl sighed heavily, leaning back against him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she answered.

"Luv, you're a good liar to be sure, but not around me. Really, what's wrong?"

She shrugged. "I can't but my finger on it. Something about Norrington throws me off."

"Not fallin' for him, are you?"

"You know me better than that. I'm young, but I'm not stupid."

"What about him? You tend to have that effect on men."

She shrugged again. "You'd have to ask him. Honestly, I don't think love is that important to him. If I started hinting about I could probably pry a marriage proposal from him."

"Have you considered doing it?" he asked.

"Are you daft?" she returned.

"Aye, but that's beside the point. Think about it, luv. Married ain't chained down and you'd practically be guaranteed immunity. Marry him and run for the sea with open arms and a bond that gets you out of prison any time."

"They haven't come up with a charge yet I couldn't weasel out of," she informed him.

"I'm not arguing that, Pearl-me-dear, I'm just saying it's worth considering."

"I'm a pirate, Jack. We don't marry."

"We do if the benefit is good enough."

She chuckled. "Indeed."

"Are you at all nervous about tomorrow? I could send someone with you. You could claim they were your brother or-"

"Stop, please. I'm fine. Not nervous a'tall, nor should you be. I should get some sleep, and so should you."

"I'll be here just a little longer, I think. I'll go to bed soon, I promise," he added when she gave him a severe look.

Everyone who's reviewed: Thank you so much. I'm glad you all love Pearl as much as I do.

To Romilly-thank you. I knew one sank and I couldn't remember which but I knew I'd pick the wrong one. I like the Interceptor better because I like the picture of Pearl at the helm of a sleek, fast ship. And it had to be fast to catch the Black Pearl. I'll fix it next chapter.

Final Note: well, that's all for now. Be happy you got this much–midterms are running me over. I'll try to get the next out soon. Honest. Next Pearl takes the helm and becomes a little more...insistent.


	9. Under Siege

Pearl 

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: They aren't mine. Tear But if anyone's looking to sell them let me know.

Author's Note: Love to all. I didn't plan to have this up so soon. I have two papers I should be writing right now. My teachers think I'm an English major or something (oh, wait, I am!). But I do love all you reviewers dearly, and you did beg, and Pearl has been insistently plaguing my mind lately so maybe if I appease her I can get some work done.

Pearl opened the door to the Interceptor's main cabin slowly, habit making her check for traps. Satisfied that no unwelcome surprises awaited her in the Commodore's bedroom she stepped in. Dropping her heavy bag by the door and settling her wooden case more carefully beside it she ran and pounced onto the bed with a happy sigh. "What I wouldn't give for a nap," she remarked to no one in particular as she snagged a pillow and curled happily into it. Inhaling deeply she realized suddenly that she could smell the man's scent. What's more, she reveled just a bit in it, relaxing without thinking.

"Stop it," she ordered herself aloud. "This is all Marden's fault. And having Will around certainly doesn't help. Horney as a minx, I am. Two months on that damn boat. And babysitting all the time in Tortuga. Small wonder really." Sighing she sat up, grinning as she looked around the room. "Hmm. Fantastic opportunity to snoop around and find topics of conversation that will bug the hell out the Commodore."

Pitching herself off of the bed she wandered the room. A large painting of a huge ship first caught her attention. All around it a storm raged, lightning forking down to the water. Around the ship itself, however, the clouds seem to have fled in a perfect circle, making the ship glow with brilliant sunlight. She considered stealing it when the time came but decided it would be too much trouble to pack around until she found her way back onto the Pearl. Taking a moment to study the heavy Persian carpet beneath her feet with approval she passed a framed English flag with a snort. If she had brought one along she would have disposed of the English flag and put a pirate one up in its place. She chuckled as she imagined the look that would put on the good Commodore's face. Next she bypassed the heavy wooden bed covered in scarlet velvet with heavy hangings of the same material--something else she approved of--before coming to the wardrobe. Grinning evilly she pulled it open.

Five blue coats, all pressed and pristine hung there. Wrinkling her nose she pulled one out to study it. "The words tight ass come to mind. You need to loosen up, boy-o." Grabbing the rest of the coats, as well as the white breeches to match, she strode across the room, opened a window, and tossed them into the blue waters below. "Much better."

Returning to the wardrobe she found several pairs of soft brown breaches and pristine white shirts she found much more fitting. She chuckled menacingly when she found a drawer containing his nickers, but decided to leave well enough alone, mostly because she couldn't think of anything extremely clever to do.

Moving on she found a portrait of the current queen of England. With a wrinkling of her nose she wrenched the painting from the wall none too gently and chucked it out the window as well. "Oops," she remarked as she watched the waves swallow the canvas.

She paused to study several ships in bottles above the mantle with something close to awe, as well as a lovely statuette of Venus. Above the mantel was a framed signed and sealed letter from the English royalty describing the Interceptor with all due overblown terms. Next to it hung the certificate promoting Norrington to Commodore.

The last thing warranting investigation was the desk, and Pearl found that whole affair extremely boring. A gilded mirror sitting on the flat surface caught her attention for a minute. The only thing contained in the desk was parchment, maps, ink, and several orders from various authorities in the English government. One drawer, however, upon further investigation, revealed a false bottom. With a gleeful chuckle Pearl pushed the catch and watched the bottom of the drawer pop up.

Scooting closer she reached into the dark opening, feeling carefully around. She withdrew a small circle of wood with a painted portrait in it. The woman was beautiful, long brown-blond curls caught up behind her and pink lips laughing with a sparkle in her blue eyes. She regarded it carefully. "Edward, dear, do you have a sweetheart you haven't been telling me about?" she asked the empty room. Receiving no response she returned the little portrait to its place. She would ask him at a more convenient time.

With a final sigh she shoved the drawer shut and turned her attention back to the door. "I suppose I should let them out."

Going out onto deck and taking a final look from the crow's nest she descended to the brig. Clomping easily down the stairs she found herself the singular attention of every man there. "Anyone want out?" she asked, twirling the keys around her finger. While the military men stood perfectly still the regular crew ran forward, clamoring to get out. With a chuckle she moved to them, accepting their thanks as they vacated the cell, then she turned to the navy men.

"You know, we could leave them there. Sail the ship into Tortuga ourselves and sit around having a good time." The gathered men chuckled.

Norrington, on the other hand, looked anything but amused as he strode forward to grip the bars. "That would be mutiny."

"Not really," she disagreed. "You see, I have the keys, I locked you up, and I'm not part of your crew." He didn't say anything, merely growled in response. "I was only kidding anyway," she added flippantly as she unlocked the door and pulled it open with a mocking bow.

He strode out quickly, grabbing the keys from her hand as he strode up the stairs with the crew and Pearl, after a heavy sigh and roll of her eyes, following. "Get above!" he ordered. "I want the ship swept for any signs of Sparrow's crew left behind."

"Present!" Pearl chirped gleefully as she saluted. "Although I'll tell you straight out that I'm the only one. Or I had better be or my father is going to find something squishy in his bed."

Norrington turned on her so quickly she nearly fell backward down the stairs. "I should lock you up in the brig, by all rights."

She blinked at him for several moments, wondering where the sudden anger was coming from. Finally she shrugged. "You could try, I suppose, if you feel that threatened by a teenage girls. But if I intended you any real harm I would have done it while you were locked up. And I can be a valuable asset to the crew."

Norrington snorted and continued his assent. "As soon as the ship is swept I want to pull up anchor and turn this tub around. We pursue the course Sparrow was taking."

"You won't find him," Pearl chanted in a sing-songy voice as they reached the deck.

"Then why are you so insistent that we not try?" he demanded.

"Because Elizabeth wanted me to get a note to her father and I could use some down time in Tortuga."

He stood regarding her for a moment before he said, "You will come with me to my quarters immediately." She would only hamper the search, whether she knew of any stowaways or not.

"If you want to get me into bed, Norrington, all you have to do is ask," she remarked with a nasty grin.

"We have much to discuss," he corrected.

"Call it what you like," she answered with a shrug as she turned around and flounced down to the cabin she had just vacated.

She entered ahead of him, going over to flop onto the bed as he paused by the door to look down at her bag. "What's this?"

"My stuff," she answered, croocking a finger to call him over.

He pointedly ignored the inviting vision before him. "Where did the painting of the queen go?" he asked.

"I chucked the old broad out the window."

"You what?!" Norrington gasped.

"She creeped my out, staring at me like that. Plus she was ugly."

"She was the queen!"

"I don't recall ever pledging fealty to her. You know, it was probably all the inbreeding. You want a sparkling example of health and beauty look for the most mixed person you can find. I have this friend in Port Nelvens. Half Aztec. Sells chocolate. She has THE most beautiful skin."

"I beg your pardon?"

"And then there's me. Mostly Irish," she ran a hand through her red hair for emphasis, "with a little French and Spanish thrown into the mix. And then there's the English on Jack's side. And he swears up and down that his grandmother was a princess in India, although I'm hardly certain about that."

"How on earth would a pirate end up with an Indian Princess for a grandmother?" Norrington asked disbelievingly.

"Well, according to him, she was being sent to England to marry some big shot to secure peace when Jack's grandfather, also a pirate if you can imagine that, sacked the ship. She wasn't just crazy about the marriage arrangement so Jack's grandfather put her up in Tortuga. Even married her. Of course, he died two years later, but it's the thought that counts."

Norrington shook his head in apparent confusion. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

Pearl shrugged. "Well, it did come out of my father's mouth."

"Would you come over here please?" he asked as he sat in his desk.

"Why? Beautiful woman in your bed make you uncomfortable?"

He sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. "No, and I don't recall ever telling you you were beautiful."

"Oh, that hurts. It really does. Ouch." Moving across the room she stood behind his chair, pushing the bluejacket from his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Undressing you," she answered. "I'm going to try to easy your headache," she answered, fingers messaging his shoulders.

He sounded as if he were going to object but groaned as she began to loosen the stiff muscles. She spent several minutes kneading his muscles before leaning over to nip at his neck and whisper suggestively into his ear, "I could do this much better on the bed."

His eyes popped open at that and he shoved her hands away. "I believe that will suffice."

Laughing, Pearl moved around to sit on the desk. "You know, things would be so much easier if you would just let go for a few moments."

"You'll excuse me if I don't jump at the chance to take advice from a pirate."

She shrugged indifferently. Suddenly she bent over to empty the drawer with the false bottom and retrieve the hidden miniature. "Who is this?"

Norrington stared at her in shock. "How did you find that?"

"Snooping. She's pretty. Are you going to marry her?"

"She's my mother. And I would thank you not to go through my things," he said, snatching the miniature from her hands.

"What happened to her? Is she in Port Royale?"

"No. She was murdered by pirates many years ago," he answered in a scathing tone.

Pearl didn't look away from the angry glance he threw at her. "Do you know who did it?"

"Someone by the name of Bootleg."

"Ah, Brendon," she remarked.

"You know him?"

"You could say that. Made the mistake of taking passage from him once. Thought my father's name would be enough to frighten him. He made me an offer I had to refuse. He wasn't too pleased, but I was insistent. Took his right eye, broke his leg, and nearly threw him overboard I was so insistent. Unfortunately, the crew was loyal to him. He...exacted his own price." She shifted suddenly, shrugging her shoulders. "If I ever catch the bastard he's dead. Jack's said as much."

"I'm sorry," Norrington said.

"Not as sorry as he'll be," she answered.

"I'd believe it," he remarked. With a sigh he shrugged stood, picking up his coat and looking at the stains with distaste. Pearl had to stifle a giggle as he moved toward his wardrobe. He stopped still when he pulled it open. Turning suddenly he eyed the girl innocently picking at her nails on his desk.

"Pearl."

"Yes darling?"

"Don't call me darling. Where are my coats?"

"What coats are you referring to, Edward dear?"

"My blue ones," he answered through gritted teeth, striding quickly across the room to face her down.

"Oh, those. They're keeping the queen company," she answered, motioning toward the window.

He sighed deeply, messaging his brow. "I'll just have to borrow one of Gillette's. I should throw you out the window," he added, wagging a finger at her.

"I'm frightened," she responded.

"Perhaps you should be," he answered. "You're far too sure of yourself for a woman stuck on a ship full of men."

"You think I should be huddled in a corner simpering at you and begging you not to have your way with me?" she asked.

"Of course not. I am a man of honor. You, on the other hand, are a pirate."

"So I should be begging you not to hang me from the main mast?"

"No. But you should not risk my anger by throwing my possessions overboard." She began to laugh at that. "What?" he asked.

"'Risk your anger'? Oh, Norrington, you're too much. I'd like to see you get angry." She paused, eyes searching the room as if inspiration struck. "In fact, let's try it," she suggested, jumping off of the desk. Hurrying across the room she picked up a small statue of a Greek Goddess and hurried over to the window to dangle it out. "What if Madame Venus went for a swim?"

"Pearl, put that down," he ordered.

She nodded once. "Whatever you say Commodore," he replied, dropping it into the waves below.

"Bloody hell, woman!" he yelled, crossing the room to stare at the rolling waves that had swallowed the statue.

She grinned up at him, cocking one eyebrow. "Yes?"

He glared over at her, going slightly red in the face. "I should-" He stopped, trying to think of what he should do.

"While you're working on that why don't I just dispose of that gilded mirror for you?" she offered, moving to snatch it up.

He caught her before she got to it, capturing her shoulders in a steal grip and backing her up against the wall. She continued to grin infuriatingly, the very picture of her father. "You should what?" she asked again, completely ignoring the power of his gaze. "Tell me Commodore. Are you going to strike me?" She lifted his hand, caressing the palm open with calloused fingers and placing it a proper distance from her cheek. "Go ahead. I dare you."

"No," he answered, dropping his hand and balling it into a fist. "I am an honorable man and I will not strike a woman."

"Is that a fact?" Pearl asked, voice suddenly cold. "You wish to coddle me now? Perhaps you don't feel I'm capable of caring for myself. Won't hit me because I'm too pristine, is that it? What if I hit you first?" She pulled her hand back and slapped him hard across the face. "Think of that next time you feel you're too strong and powerful to dirty your honor with some wench!" she ordered, turning to stock past him.

"I should lock you in the brig!" he cried, grabbing her hand to stop her.

"No I never should have let you out! You were much more cordial behind bars. Unhand me!"

"A moment ago you wanted me to hit you. Now I'm holding your wrist too tightly?" he asked, twisting his grip and pulling her closer. "You'll forgive me if I don't worry over it. I wouldn't want to coddle you. I am the Commandore on this ship and you will obey my orders!"

"Or what?!" she demanded.

Later he would wonder what came over him. He was, in all honesty, a very kind and gentle man, especially where women were concerned. All he knew was that he was angry, that somehow this woman-no, this girl!-was pushing buttons in him he didn't even know he had. He was frustrated and angry and he wanted her to fear him, only for a moment, so she would feel as helpless as he did in that moment.

He pushed her hard against the wall. She didn't cry out, didn't even move. Simply glared at him with those demanding, daring eyes. He advanced on her, drawing himself up to his full height so he could look down on her. He invaded her space, pressing his face close to hers as he dared, backing her hard against the wall. So close he could feel her unconsciously pressing herself back into the hard wood. Still her eyes shot sparks at him, no trace of fear to be found. This close he could see the individual coppery threads that made up her eyes. "Or what?" she repeated, softer this time, lower, almost a growl. Or perhaps a purr.

She moved suddenly, wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling his lips forcefully down to hers. Before he could register what was happening he found himself plagued by her demanding lips. All of the anger, all of the heat, suddenly turned into boiling passion. And he answered in kind, offering her his own intensity, his own heat.

It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. This was no porcelain doll, no gentle woman to be cradled and handled with care. She was a wild force that would not be tamed, that would not allow him to be tame. She awakened something in him.

Then, just as suddenly, she stopped. She pulled away, or rather pushed him away as he had been crushing her against the wall, head snapping toward the open window. "Pearl?" Her eyes were distant suddenly. They held none of the heat or passion that he could feel in her still-racing heart. "Pearl, what's wrong?"

"The wind." Her voice was distant, emotionless. She might have been commenting on the temperature of her afternoon tea. She pushed out of his arms, moving steadily over to the window to lean out over the rushing sea. "The wind just shifted."

"What?" Norrington asked, completely confused. Was she trying to think of an excuse to get away from him?

"Blast it all, the wind just shifted!" she said angrily as she rushed past him to the cabin door.

"And?" Norrington asked, seeing no cause for alarm in the bright Caribbean sun streaming through the window.

"I'm not sure. I need to get up on deck," she answered, leading him at a trot into the heat of the day.

He paused when she reached the rigging and climbed more swiftly than any monkey up to the crow's nest. Most of the men looked up in apparent awe, but she took no notice. Instead she stood, eyes turned up to the sky as she pressed her hat back just far enough to see as much as possible without losing the offered shade from the offending sun. Norrington scanned the horizon but could see nothing alarming.

"What is she doing?" Gillette asked.

"I'm not certain," Norrington replied. "Something about the wind shifting."

"Perhaps Miss Sparrow will see fit to fly off," Gillette suggested.

"No, I don't believe I'm that lucky," Norrington answered, and they both laughed softly.

"Oi! Commodore!" Pearl cried suddenly, leaning over the side of her perch.

"Don't say 'oi,'" he called back. "It makes you sound uneducated. I know you can speak properly."

"Yes, Elizabeth," she answered. "We have to turn around."

"I beg your pardon?!" Norrington asked.

"We have to turn around," she repeated, pointing behind them. While the two of them had been alone in the cabin the crew had gotten the ship going in a pursuit course. "There's an island about a league back. We have to take shelter in the bay."

"Take shelter from what?" the Commodore asked.

"The storm."

Every man on the ship looked at the cloudless sky and burst out laughing. Pearl huffed in frustration as an adorable pout settled over her face. "We're catching up," Gillette said suddenly. "She's trying to throw us off course. Can you see a ship?" he called up to the other man in the crow's nest, who shook his head.

"You aren't catching up," Pearl said, grabbing a rope and sliding down to alight easily as any cat. "You aren't even going in the right direction, and if you were you would still sail right by the Black Pearl. Commodore Norrington, we have to take shelter somewhere and that island is the closest."

"Why should I believe you?" he asked, searching for a reason to trust her.

"Because I want to live," she answered readily.

"Don't listen to her, Commodore," Gillette ordered. "We're close and that's all there is to it."

"You are not close, you daft prick. The Pearl is the fastest ship in these waters and she has a good five hours head start on you."

Norrington stared up at the sky. "How do you know it's going to storm?"

"You'll laugh if I tell you," she said with a sigh.

"I won't," he promised.

"He will," she returned with a nod toward Gillette.

"He won't," Norrington promised.

Pearl sighed heavily. "All right." Crossing her arms and throwing Gillette a warning look she said, "I'm descended from an Aztec weather goddess."

The two stood blinking at her for several moments, then looked at each other, then bust out laughing. Throwing her hands over her head Pearl sighed heavily. "I told you."

"I thought it was an Indian Princess," Norrington said with a chuckle.

"That's on Jack's side. This is my mother's," she said completely seriously, which made them laugh all the harder. With a frustrated growl she turned on her heal and called, "Port!"

"Aye, lass?" he answered as he approached.

"You glad I'm on this ship?"

"Aye, mighty glad."

"Why?"

"Well, yer a joy to look'it, and great t' talk with, and--"

"No, really Port. I'm not looking for bull shit."

"Ah, then, because it be storm season and there ain't no one as sees storms commin' like you, 'sides mayhap yer brother and cousins."

She turned to the two officers, who had stopped laughing. "See?"

"Why? Is somethin' commin'?"

"Aye. A bad one. We need a port."

The old sailor nodded. "Best listen to her. My dear son, he'd be on the bottom of the sea if it weren't for this one. Jack more times'n he can count." With that he shuffled off to continue with his duties, but the men he spoke to looked rather nervous suddenly.

Sighing she took off her hat for a moment to run a hand through her hair. "All right. You don't have any real reason to trust me. I can respect that. I'll give you my word. Turn this ship around, drop anchor in the port. If you don't see clouds by nightfall I'll tell you where Jack is. I'll stand at that helm and sail this ship directly to him. I'll call him out and help you clap him in irons if I'm wrong. Please." She drew close, taking Norrington's hands in hers and looking deeply into his eyes. "Please, Edward. I'm not lying. On my honor, I'm not."

"Pirates don't have honor," Gillette interrupted.

"A lot of pirates have a lot more honor than most government officials you could name," she snapped.

Norrington squeezed her hands to reclaim her attention. "Don't make me regret this."

"You won't," she promised.

With a sigh he shook his head. "All right sailors. Let's turn her around," he called.

Final Note: There you go. A little heat for you. I know it didn't turn out the way you wanted, but Pearl won't let it go so have no fear that they will. Reviews make writing go faster, I promise.


	10. Storms

Pearl 

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Okay, you've gotten it out of me. Brace yourself. A good half of these characters aren't mine. Shocking, isn't it? But Pearl is, so hands off!

Author's note: I love you all sooooo much. Such wonderful reviewers I have! I love you so much I'm going to wait until the end of the chapter to yammer at you.

Norrington sat at his desk, listening to the wind howling outside. The wind drove against his window with the sound of rocks rapping on glass. He silently hoped that the glass wouldn't break, then realized how trivial that really was. The glass could be easily replaced. If they had been in open water they would have all drowned over an hour ago.

A knock sounded on the door. "Come," he ordered. "What took so long?"

He found himself looking at Port, who more closely resembled a drowned rat at the moment. The heavily bearded man was dripping on the very expensive Persian rug. "Where's Pearl?" he demanded. He'd sent the man to find her nearly half an hour ago. "Did you go looking for her on deck?"

"Aye, and that's where I found her."

"What?!" Norrington cried, jumping out of his chair.

"Some of the riggin's come loose. I couldn't talk her inside. Figured you'd worry if I didna' appear soon."

"That blasted fool!" he cried, shrugging into his coat.

"You don't know the half of it," Port said. "She ain't commin' in 'till everything's tight."

"She will if I have to carry her kicking and screaming!" he replied, slamming the door behind him.

"Aye, that's what it'll take. Want me to come?"

"No. Go join the crew. Enjoy your night off," he ordered as he braced himself against the roaring wind.

"Aye sir. She's at the helm," he added before disappearing.

The storm was worse than he had figured on. No lightning, only wind and driving rain coming down as if a bucket poured over his head. He had to hold to the railing to keep from being blown overboard as he made his way slowly toward the helm. Sure enough there she was, rope coiled around one arm as she tugged at a piece of rigging.

"What are you doing?" he demanded as soon as he was close enough.

"Commodore," she greeted cheerfully. "Fancy meeting you here. Fine weather, isn't it?"

She looked like a drowned rat as well. Her coat was wrapped firmly around herself, her hat long gone. Her hair had completely escaped all attempts to tame it. It was now plastered over her fair face, dripping into her eyes. She didn't seem to notice or care.

"Are you insane?!" he screamed.

"For the last time, yes! I've almost got it. Here, hold this," she ordered, handing him a rope.

"You have to come insi-ah!" he cried as the rope nearly pulled his arm out of the socket.

She caught it quickly, tugging it back into place. He was impressed by the strength in such a light frame.

"Brace yourself," she ordered. "Got it?"

"I think so," he yelled over the howling wind.

She nodded, replacing it to grab another length and tie them together. "Let go," she ordered. The rope snapped firmly into place. "You should do real work with your men occasionally."

"And you should come inside," he called back.

To his immense surprise after giving a sigh she nodded. "All right. Lead the way."

Unsteadily he made his way below deck and into his cabin. She followed silently. Taking a moment to study her he realized she had to be exhausted after fighting the storm for half an hour or better. "I'll get you something to dry off with," he said, dropping his coat and moving to pull out a few heavy blankets. He turned back to her and stopped, mouth hanging open.

She had taken off her dripping coat and draped it over a chair, which made little enough difference as the white shirt underneath was equally wet, completely see-through, and plastered to he slim form. He looked away quickly, crossing the room to drape the blanket around her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said, sounding completely unaware as she snuggled into the warmth before crossing the room to dig through her bag and emerge with a white night gown. She caught his eye and chuckled. "What, you thought I slept in breeches?"

"I certainly didn't expect a skirt," he answered with a shrug.

"Yes, well, just be thankful I don't sleep nude, like certain pirate captains I could name."

"Ug. As if I need that picture in my head," Norrington remarked.

"Tell me about it. He's my father. Would you mind?" she asked, twirling her finger to indicate he should turn his back.

"Suddenly you're shy?" he asked with a chuckle as he complied.

"No, but I know you are. What did you want anyway?"

"What?" he asked.

"You sent Port after me. What did you want?"

"Oh, that. Just to thank you. You saved our lives. If I hadn't listened to you we'd be on the bottom of the ocean."

"Don't thank me too much. I had ulterior motives. I didn't want to visit old Davy just yet. Asides, it took a lot of guts for you to order it based solely on some pirate lass' word. That's the kind of call for a Captain to make. Or Commodore as the case may be."

"I knew you wouldn't lead us astray," he answered. "Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if it hadn't stormed?"

"Tried to talk my way out of it. In the end I would have done exactly what I promised. You would have picked up Jack and I would have waited until you were asleep, stolen the key, and gotten him out."

Norrington laughed. "I might have known."

"You have to be specific when negotiating terms with a pirate. Don't leave them any room to wiggle out. You can turn around now."

He obeyed, and gasped quietly at the vision before him. Backlit by the sole candle in the room she glowed in the simple white cotton shift, thin enough that he could clearly see her curves. Her hair was fiery, lit by the flickering orange light to an ungodly red that made her look aflame, her bronzed skin glowing in the light.

She yawned, not looking at him as she continued to rub at her damp hair. "Do you have a brush I could borrow? I forgot to bring one."

"Certainly," he agreed, shaking himself out of his open-mouthed stare to pull one out of a drawer.

She took a moment to study the gold-inlayed-red bird on the back. "Phoenix?" she asked.

"What?" he responded.

"Is this a Phoenix?" she repeated.

"Oh, yes. My family crest."

"I like it," Pearl remarked. "But then again I'm partial to birds. Thank you, by the way," she added, settling into the chair to tug at her matted hair. "Don't let me stop your getting out of those wet cloths. I promise not to peak, if that helps."

"Thank you," he said, moving to do just that. He pulled on his softest pair of breeches and favorite cotton shirt. Turning back he found her still tugging at her tangled hair. "You're just making it worse." Crossing the room he took the brush from her hand. "You have to start at the bottom and work up."

"Hmm. You're good at this," she remarked as he carefully untangled the beaded bits and began brushing in long, soothing strokes, gripping the hair close to the roots so it didn't tug at her scalp. "Have you done it before?"

"My sister. It used to lull her to sleep," he answered.

"I suppose she was horribly murdered by pirates as well," Pearl remarked in a sleepy voice.

"No. She's still in England. Happily married."

"Lucky her," she sighed, voice tinged by exhaustion.

Stopping Norrington pulled the tangled hair she had pulled out from the brush. "Well, I'm done. About sleeping arrangements-"

"We can quibble tomorrow," she said with a wave of her hand, rather half-hearted at that. The first half-hearted thing he had ever seen her do. "I'm too tired to sleep anywhere else tonight. I promise to keep my hands to myself. I'll be asleep in no time anyway," she said with a very convincing yawn.

"All right," he sighed, leaning over to pick her up.

She squealed, throwing an arm around his neck. "What are you doing?"

"Putting you in bed. You're exhausted." He paused to blow out the candle before carrying the woman to his bed.

She sighed contentedly, snuggling her head into his chest. "No argument here. You smell good."

He laughed at that. "You must be really tired."

"Actually, it's just been way too long since I had a man. Different type of tired, I guess you could say. Wanna help with that?" Her finger was suddenly tracing lazy circles on his chest through the fabric of his shirt.

"You promised to keep your hands to yourself," he scolded, too tired to get really angry himself. It was probably for the better, considering how well she had used his anger earlier.

"You can always revoke the promise."

He chuckled as he lay her down in the bed. "But I won't. Sleep," he ordered.

"You aren't my father," she informed him with a yawn as she snuggled into the bed and pulled the covers up.

"A fact I'm glad for every day," he returned. By the time he climbed into the other side her breathing was deep and regular.

The pounding of the rain coupled with the violent rocking of the ship held him awake. The tempting female form beside him certainly didn't help matters either. In the darkness she rolled toward him and he took the opportunity to study her. Her face gave the appearance of openness and innocence, all except for the crooked nose. The freckles, although mostly hidden under the hard tan and weathered cheeks, lent to the appearance of youth. It was a look she was adept at using to further her own ends.

He wondered silently why he didn't just give into the impulses she was so talented at voicing. There was the obvious: it wasn't a good idea for Commodores to sleep with young pirate girls. And she was a girl, whatever she might say about such things. On the other hand she was hardly sweet and innocent. Considerably less than him, most likely, and he was a long way from such things himself.

And beautiful. Simply gorgeous, and she knew how to use it. If they had been in Port Royale, if she really was Bethany Maltrey, he wouldn't hesitate in pursing her. Hadn't, in fact. But this wasn't a matter of marriage. It was merely a way to sate their passions. So why did he hesitate so much more over this than he would over a marriage proposal? Because that was what he needed, he knew. Too much of what she herself said was true. He needed a wife to stay at home and host parties and sew. Not to sail off into the sunset and never see again.

She scooted closer and he could feel her shivering. Of course she was cold, after standing in that wind and still being soaked to the bone. Probably getting pneumonia. Even in her sleep she was responding to his warmth.

Reaching out he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. There was nothing wrong in just keeping her warm, after all. She was asleep. What harm could she do?

She responded automatically to the offered warmth, even in her sleep. She cuddled close, rolling onto her side to fit herself against him. Unable to stop himself he buried his nose in her hair, smelling the unique scent of salt, night air, and her own slightly spicy scent. He thought perhaps he detected just a hint of rose as if left over from some long-lost bath, but convinced himself he had to be hallucinating that part. It had been too long since he'd had a warm woman in his bed and that was all there was to it.

Eventually he fell asleep with her cuddled up warm and soft beside him.

"Commodore?" He rolled away from the sound that was pulling him away from his warm comfort of a very nice dream. "Commodore, the sun is well up. You had best get out of bed."

He opened his eyes to find Port standing beside the bed. Seeking arms found no sign of the woman that had been in his bed the night before. "Where's Pearl?"

"On deck. Has been for hours now. One of the sails pulled loose in the storm. It ain't too bad but the rope had to be replaced and she's been helpin' with that. She told us to let you sleep."

"You should have woken me," he said.

"She said you'd say that. Join us when you're ready." With that he strode off.

Norrington lay there for a few moments, reveling in the remembered feel of her body fit comfortably against his as her smell, still on the sheets, filled his nose.

Finally he forced himself out of bed. He pulled on his boots and still-damp jacket, wishing bitterly for his spares which now rested somewhere in the bottom of the ocean only slightly drier and cleaner than the one he now wore.

He strode quickly up onto deck, running his eyes over the crew. He could find no sign of Pearl, but before he could look more carefully Gillette approached. "Good morning Commodore. Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough, considering the storm," he answered. "Port said we had a sail come down."

"Yes, but it is being replaced as we speak," he said with a wave toward the crew crawling on the mast. "It's the rudder what worries me. Something is wrong with it."

"What?" Norrington asked.

"Can't say as I know, but Pearl seemed to. Wouldn't tell me a word, just trotted around looking superior."

"Sounds right. Where is she?"

Gillette looked at him as if he had lost his mind and motioned toward the mast. "Right there, of course."

He saw her immediately then. Her coat and hat were gone-he located them by the rail in a pile beside a coil of rope. Her hair was pulled back and the arms of her shirt were rolled up to her shoulders. She was sweating in the Caribbean heat as she worked alongside the men, pulling the thick, stubborn ropes taunt. She moved along the thin wood with a grace anyone would have envied. He noticed that she was barefoot, a habit most of the men favored when aloft.

Looking down she caught his eye and waved. Saying something to the men that made them laugh she turned and slid down to approach. As she came toward them he noticed the threaded slit of her shirt she had left open to catch the breeze revealing just a glimpse of bust. Quickly he looked up, gluing his eyes to hers.

"Good morning Commodore," she greeted politely. "Gillette."

"I see the sail is coming along well," Norrington said before Gillette could comment.

"Nearly done. It's the rudder that worries me. We've thrown the chain on the port side."

"You're kidding," Norrington moaned.

"Nope. Come see." She led them up to the helm.

Someone had tied off the wheel despite the fact that they still had the anchor down. Throwing the rope off she spun the wheel one-handed. It spun easily, the sail behind them shifting into place. When the sail reached the end of its swing the wheel stopped, bobbing lazily. Norrington groaned again. With the rudder chain firmly in place the wheel would never have turned that easily and would have come to a more solid stop.

"It'll take us three days to get to Port Royale in this condition," Gillette remarked. "Maybe four, but it's the closest port we're going to find."

Pearl cleared her throat, drawing both men's attention. "Actually, there is another port closer by. It would only take us one, maybe two days to get there."

"Where?" Norrington asked.

"Ah, therein lies the problem. I would have to ask for your word that you would never conduct a raid on this place yourself. At least, not unless someone else gave you the location. You too, Gillette, by whatever will hold you."

"Where on this bloody earth do you want to take us? The devil's keep?" Gillette demanded.

"Close," Pearl answered.

"Tortuga," Norrington put in. "I know it's out here somewhere."

"You have to be kidding me!" Gillette cried. "Take Port in the biggest pirate's nest in the world? And give our word never to come after it?"

"They won't touch your ship, or you, if that's what you're worried about."

"Why not?" Gillette demanded.

"Because I'll tell them not to."

"And why would they listen to you?"

"Because I'm Pearl Sparrow." She spread her arms wide, meandering lazily around them and gesturing as if telling some epic tail. "Daughter of Captain Jack Sparrow, and Diamond Staller. There isn't a man in Tortuga as won't do what I tell him, when I tell him. Savvy?"

"I doubt that," Gillette said.

"Well, it may not be strictly true, but it's close. What do you say, Commodore?"

He nodded thoughtfully. "It's better than floating along in this damn ocean. All right. There's just one problem. Your father made off with all the gold. We don't have any way to pay for repairs."

"They'll do it on my word," she assured him. "They can either send a massager to Port Royale to pick up the gold or you can hand it off to me to take to Tortuga."

"You trust me?" he asked in something close to astonishment.

"Despite the fact that it's against my better nature, yes, I do. And if you stick me I'll just use some of the spare slag Jack has lying around."

"All right. Just give us the direction and we'll be on our way," Norrington demanded.

Pearl made no answer, simply grinned up at him over the two inches he had on her. Understanding dawned on him suddenly and he groaned. "You're not going to give us the coardinants, are you?" Still grinning she shook her head. "You're going to insist on taking the helm, aren't you?" This received a wider grin, if it was possible, as she nodded.

"Surely not!" Gillette cried.

Pearl smiled innocently now, tossing her short locks and causing the beads in her hair to click against one another. "Captain's in my blood, and I'll play whatever advantage I can to see to it that I end up at the helm."

Norrington sighed, then suddenly brightened. "Port knows the way."

Pearl shook her head and rolled her eyes. In a sing-songy voice she chanted, "He won't take you."

"Why not?"

"Because you're a Commodore. He's not going to lead you into the greatest nesting ground for pirates in the world."

"You're willing enough," Gillette pointed out.

"I'm the daughter of a legendary pirate, and not far from a legend myself. I can get away with things others can't."

Gillette groaned. "We're doomed."

Norrington nodded. "I'm inclined to agree." He calmed himself by force of will. Getting angry with her would get him absolutely no where. She had proven that all ready. If she meant them any harm, if she had any intention of stealing the ship, she would have done it by now. And they owed her a debt for keeping them from the storm. "She did save our lives last night. I want to make it abundantly clear that that is the ONLY reason I'm letting you do this."

"You're the Commodore," she answered sweetly.

"I'm only ever going to hear that when I'm doing what you want, aren't I?" he asked.

"Yep," she answered happily. "Let's get this ship turned around. Hoist the sails, lads. We've work to do!"

Norrington sighed as she strode out to help round up the sailors. "And just like that she's the captain," Gillette sighed.

"You have to admit, she is good at it."

"She is that."

Final note: For all of you still waiting for your Jack time I promised you long about chapter 7 or so, fear not! No, I haven't recaptured him yet, but I have a foolproof plan. Just look. Opens closet door to reveal a towering pile of run See? How can he resist? I don't even have to rig the door to close on him. He'll just drink himself stupid and collapse. He's much easier to handle that way, between you and me. Wink I'll have him back by the next chapter yet!

Speaking of which, next chapter Pearl volunteers for night watch and everyone's favorite Commodore gets restless. I can't imagine why. Reviews make writing go faster! And gets you lots of my love. Don't you want to be loved?


	11. Philosophy By Moonlight

Pearl 

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own them...yet. I have been told that anything's possible, so we'll see.

Author's note: Good news. I'm incredibly sick. Well, obviously this isn't good news for me but seeing as typing is the only thing I can do right now I can turn out another chapter incredibly quickly. Good news for you, I'd say. At least, I hope you think so.

A few quick notes:

Plasmolysed Cell Membrane-please don't stop reviewing. I look forward to hearing from you every time! And it does inspire me! I think when I recapture the good Captain Sparrow you get first call on him, being such a loyal reviewer.

Elderberry()-You bring up a good point, saying the crew might wonder about the good Commodore and Pearl sharing a bed. I thought of trying to write it into the story but, frankly, it's easier just to answer you. I'm assuming the regular crew, being used to pirates and some of them actually knowing Pearl, would be used to her doing what she does. Beyond teasing Norrington a bit I can't imagine them really caring. The officers, on the other hand, would probably be a different story. Of course, he is their superior officer and I've never been in the military, but I'm pretty sure questioning your superior on his bedroom habits wouldn't go over any better than questioning a pirate lass with an obsession with knives would. Gillette might be an exception, but he's made his feelings about Pearl abundantly clear up to this point.

I'll broach the Jack-in-a-closet topic at the end. I think I've kept you in suspense long enough.

It was well before dawn when Norrington awoke, sitting straight up in bed in alarm, trying to find a reason for him to feel that way. His dream, he realized even as it fled from his memory. He'd been having a nightmare. He wasn't sure what exactly it was about. Someone had been in danger, and he'd been running in circles too long to get to them.

Taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down he lay back on the bed. In the silence an odd noise came to him. Abandoning the bed he found his open window was the source. Leaning out he listened to the strained cords of a mournful fiddle. It had to be coming from the deck.

Pulling on a shirt he went up into the chill night air. Glancing up at the crow's nest he found his lookout hard at work. The music wafted down from the helm. Stronger now, the song seemed even more morose. He turned toward the helm, anger surging through him when he found it tied firmly in place. A ship with a broken rudder should never be left to steer itself.

He looked around for Pearl. The girl had insisted upon keeping to her steering overnight. She had called it a solution to the problem of their sleeping arrangements, and simply to avoid another raging argument he had agreed to it (or at least that's what he told himself).

The music rose and he found her sitting on the rail, feet dangling over the rushing waves as she swayed gently in the moonlight, moving with the notes she drew from the fiddle in her hands. Her eyes were closed, apparently to help her lose herself in the music, and he let himself indulge in her for just a moment.

Her skin was alabaster in the moonlight, dark lashes standing out in sharp contrast. The light glittered off of the silver beads in her hair and rings on her fingers as they flashed on the bow. She was positively breathtaking, something out of child's tale. A mermaid perhaps, or a siren. Yes, certainly, a siren sent to entice him. Even the music was sad and haunting, worming its way into his mind. He doubted he would ever forget the tune.

The music tapered off. He jumped when, without opening her eyes, she said, "Beautiful night, isn't it, Commodore?"

"I would say so. That was a beautiful song."

"Thank you," she said, putting down the bow.

"What was it called?"

"Lost Lindi. It's about a prostitute who falls in love with a sailor who drowns."

"Sounds uplifting," Norrington remarked.

"Oh, it is. Right up until she throws herself off of a cliff. It's sort of a warning. Prostitutes and pirates don't love for good reason. This is a reminder. Do you play?"

"The fiddle? No. I took lessons on the piano when I was younger."

"Ah, yes, as every proper young boy of breeding aught," she answered. "Very practical of you."

"Do you play the piano at all?" he asked.

"No. I could have learned, I suppose. The tavern down the street had a piano. It just never appealed. I'd prefer to sing, really. Have to live up to my name."

"Your name?" he repeated.

"Siren," she answered. "Pearl Siren Sparrow. If I didn't sing I wouldn't have earned the name my mother gifted me with."

He couldn't help but stare. This too closely echoed his thoughts from moments before. And who named their daughter Siren? A prostitute, he supposed. Gesturing to the rail next to her, ever the gentleman, he asked, "May I?"

She shrugged. "It's your ship."

He sat, staring at the moonlight sparkling on the water. "It's beautiful out here at night."

Pearl nodded agreement. "I'm always first to volunteer for night watch. I love it."

As he watched the wind lifted, brushing them and causing her trinkets to tinkle gently as they brushed one another. She closed her eyes and lifted her chin, sighing softly as if it were a lover's caress rather than the wind.

He pushed that thought firmly out of his mind. "Not going to storm, is it?"

Without opening her eyes she shook her head. "Clear sailing all the way to Port Royal."

"What's it like?" he asked. "Your connection with, you know, the winds or whatever."

She chuckled. "'Winds or whatever,'" she muttered. "I can't explain it any better than that, so don't worry about it. It's closer to an older brother, just sending me a heads up that everything is fine."

"What about when we get a storm?"

She shrugged. "So my brother isn't very even tempered. He always gives me plenty of warning."

"If you ever decide to go straight with the law there'll always be a place on my ship. I don't care if you are a woman," he told her.

"Now that's an interesting picture," Pearl remarked.

He chuckled agreement. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," she returned. "You can ask, but you'll meet Davy Jones before I promise to answer." Her dark eyes skewered him, moonlight swirling in their depths.

Commodore Norrington, the man who had faced down death and pirates a hundred times, was suddenly uncomfortable under the woman's gaze. "What's it like, being a pirate?"

She grinned, at which he opened his mouth to defend himself. She held up a hand to forestall him. "No, no. It's normal to be curious. Honestly, it's like freedom, pure and simple. And the fact that you can lose that in a heartbeat makes it that much better. 'Take what you can, give nothing back.' Live life to the fullest, never apologize, and never look back and think 'if only.' Can you even imagine a life like that?"

"No," he answered thoughtfully.

"But you get something out of that bargain too."

"What's that?"

"Oh, honor mostly. You can say you've never in your life lain hands on what doesn't belong to you. You have your own set of rules and you stick to them. Yours just happen to be the King's Laws rather than the Pirate's Code. And then the whole getting into heaven thing sounds like a good deal."

He looked over at her. "You...know about that?" he asked.

"Well, of course. Our fair share of men have sailed into Tortuga to 'save' us. It sounds like a good deal and all except for the fact that you can't have any fun. And one made the mistake of leaving me with a Bible--assumed I couldn't read, I think. The whole stoning prostitutes to death didn't lay too well with me."

He shook his head. "A part of me envies you though. I mean, you've probably seen things in your lifetime that I'll never be able to imagine. And I do suspect you've had a good deal more fun than me."

She laughed. "I'd drink to that, if I had any rum. But I'd wager you're happier with your honor intact."

"Yes," he agreed.

"We do what we must, and as much as we can to secure our happiness within the confines of the first," she remarked.

"Where did you read that?" he asked.

She shrugged. "No where. I just thought it up."

"You're very talented."

"Just because I can spout nonsense as pompously as some University boy? Nah. You know, I'm sure there are things you could do, within the confines of the Bible and the Royal Navy, that you'd enjoy. You know, to live life to the fullest."

He shook his head, leaning back on his arms. "I have a reputation to uphold."

She paused to look around the empty deck, then up at the lookout, who was staring off in the opposite direction. "Not right now. There's no one here but you and me."

"What are you suggesting?"

"If you could do any one thing right now, no matter how wild and crazy, what would it be?"

He laughed. "Pearl, I don't think this is appropriate."

"That's exactly the point!" she returned. "Come on, what do you say? Grab a rope and jump into the water. Sing a sonnet, dance naked under the full moon!" He laughed out loud at that one. "Come on, I could play for you. Hell, I could dance with you."

"You wouldn't!" he cried.

"I would. I've done it before. Crazy gypsies, don't ask. But I have." They both sat there laughing for several minutes before finally settling down. "Seriously, though, Edward, if you could do any one thing right now, what would it be?"

"Honestly?"

She leaned forward to look into his eyes. "Honest to whatever-deity-might-be-watching-over-us."

"This."

Later he would blame it on the stars and the moonlight and the sounds of water rushing beneath them and salt air in their faces. In his own mind he even blamed the damn beads glittering in her hair. But the truth was, it was simply the one thing he wanted to do most in the world at that moment.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her stiffen in surprise. Whatever she had expected, it wasn't that. But after the shock passed she seemed to melt into him, tilting her head to better meet him.

Unfortunately, that was how long it took Norrington to get over his shock at his own audacity. He pulled back quickly. Pearl followed until it became a matter of pulling back or falling head over heals into the water. It was something she might have chanced had she not still been holding her fiddle.

She didn't move, remaining stretched out on the rail, leaning lazily on one arm which still held her bow, coking one eyebrow up at the furiously blushing Commodore. "Um, I, that is, don't know what-"

"Well, I could tell you," she answered, sliding closer. "It's called a kiss. Men and women do it all the time. Come to think of it, men do it often enough on long sea voyages. And women in Tortuga, but that'll cost you extra-"

"Please stop!" he gasped. "I'm sorry." He turned, climbing over the rail to escape the woman. "I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me."

She shrugged, straightening. "Nothing to forgive," she assured him. "It was what you wanted to do. In fact, I certainly wouldn't object to doing it again." She straightened, carefully depositing her fiddle in the wooden case before advancing on him. He took a step back, but she was faster and more determined. In no time she was in his face, grinning like a minx. "Maybe we could take a trip to your cabin." She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him against her. She leaned forward to nip at his neck. He couldn't help the groan that sprung to his lips. "It's been too long since I've had a man, and you're a magnificent specimen. We could have some fun."

"The ship!" he interrupted suddenly as he realized what a spectacle he was making of himself. What if the lookout saw? What was he thinking? This was completely unlike him.

"Huh?" Pearl questioned.

"The ship is broken. The rudder."

"I know," she answered, looking up at the usually collected man who was suddenly prattling.

"It shouldn't be tied up. You should be watching it."

"It's all right. We're on a straight course. This'll keep us until noon tomorrow, easily. We could just slip off for an hour or two. No one would notice." She drew close again, approaching with a new swagger to her hips. "You know, I did grow up with prostitutes. I could teach you things-"

"To the helm. That's an order. I'm going to bed. Stay here. Just stay."

She watched him rapidly retreat to his cabin, shaking her head. "I hate the skittish ones," she muttered, carefully stowing her fiddle more securely in its wooden case before returning to her ordered post at the helm and idly checking the compass to find them right on course.

Staring out at the ocean before her she leaned forward onto the wheel and sang lazily, "And really bad eggs."

Final note: I know, it's a little short, but I just updated so you should all be happy.

"Now let's check the closet o' rum." Gleefully scampers over to fling open the door "What have we here? Pixie," tossing Tinkerbell over her shoulder "fairy, nymph, sprite," (these are all different things. If you don't know the difference you should take steps to educate yourself. This is important stuff!) "Elf"

"Greetings my Lady."

"Watch who you're calling Lady. I'm no Lady." pauses to consider the blond beauty "But I think I'll keep you anyway. Why don't you go, you know, hang out."

"Yes, my Lady."

Watches the intoxicated elf walk away with glee "What else? Leprechaun." Pulls small, squirming, red-haired creature out of the closet as it screams "RUM!" Throws him over her shoulder

"No Sparrow! Dagnabit! Maybe I need pirate booty. Where did my cousin's Pretty, Pretty Princess game go?" Leprechaun runs back to launch into the closet "No! Listen you obsessive-compulsive, alcoholic excuse for a midget, this is not for you!"

"RUM!"

"No rum. You-" Stops as inspiration strikes "You can only have rum on one condition."

"RUM!"

"Yes, rum. I need you to go find a friend of mine and bring him back."

"RUM!"

"Yes, I know. I'll give you lots of rum if you go get my friend. His name is Jack. Jack Sparrow. He's a pirate."

"And you give rum?"

"Yes, if you bring him back."

"What look like?"

"Well, my verbally challenged friend, he's a pirate. He's incredibly hot and has kohl paint all around his eyes and-"

"Me find you give rum?"

"Yes, if you find him and bring him here. Alive. That part is very important."

"And me get rum?"

"Yes."

Leprechaun laughs maniacally and runs off.

Well, there you have it folks. Let's just sit back and wait. In the mean time, reviews make my fingers fly over this keyboard.

Next up: Tortuga again! Imagine all the trouble these two can get into in a town where morals are shunned as strongly as law enforcement. Tee hee.


	12. Home sweet home

Pearl 

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Shocking as it may be, Disney has not yet knocked on my door and offered me exclusive rights to "Pirates of the Caribbean." Isn't that odd?

The sun had been up barely an hour the next day when the Commodore stepped blinking up onto the deck. He had given up on his coat-it was too hot to be traipsing around in dark blue in such burning sun when he didn't really need to anyway. The crew moved about him, performing their duties at a lazy enough pitch that he knew nothing extraordinary was going on.

Gillette approached him almost immediately. "Good morning Commodore."

"Gillette. It appears we've survived a night with Pearl at the helm."

"So it would seem," he answered. "She requested a moment of your time, as soon at you have it."

"I'm guessing her exact words were a bit less refined," Norrington remarked, forcibly hiding the ice lodged in his gut.

"Indeed," he confirmed. "Something along the lines of 'Tell that bloody scallywag you call a Commodore to get his lazy arse up here when first you see him.'"

"I'll get to it," Norrington promised with a grin as he moved to chat with Port.

He worked his way slowly toward the helm, chatting freely with the men. When he arrived at last he received a long-suffering sigh from the girl. "All right, I'm small and insignificant and you are the Commodore and certainly don't have to hurry to my side just because I've called. I get it. Loud and clear, although I thought you were above childish games."

He sighed. And she'd been so amiable last night. Actually, he realized, he preferred her in a temper. "Did you want something, Pearl?"

"You," she answered.

"Specifically?"

Her eyebrows rose. He knew he was setting himself up but his eyes dared her to say what jumped into her twisted mind. "Your hands, specifically." '

"Really. And what would you like my hands to do?"

Grabbing him by the arm she hauled him into her spot, planting his hands firmly on the wheel. "Steer. Just keep us headed due east."

"Where are you going?"

"To get a few hours of sleep. I won't be too long, I promise. We should be into Tortuga about sunset."

Port, who had somehow ended up behind him, cheered. "Perfect timing."

"I would say so," Pearl affirmed. "So do you think you can keep us headed east?"

"Yes," he answered through gritted teeth. "Although I hardly see why I should let you run off to lay around when you're the one that insisted on taking the night shift."

She stiffened, glaring at him. "I certainly don't have to sleep. I'm used to going without. But if I'm going to haul a Commodore around Tortuga it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to be on top of my game."

With a sigh he nodded agreement. "Just see to it you're back in time to keep us on course. I don't fancy losing any time."

"Nor do I. I'll see you in a few hours."

Pearl grinned as Port called, "Tortuga ho!" from the crow's nest. It had only been a few hours ago that she had come skipping out of the good Commodore's cabin to shove him away from the wheel and tell him to make himself useful while she brought them home. Muttering about liking her better grouchy from lack of sleep he had gone to take her advice, ignoring her suggestion of ways he could keep her awake if he liked it so well.

In truth, he had spent the majority of the time standing behind her and feeling totally useless. She had been more than happy to help encourage that feeling in any way she could, mostly by ordering her men to do useless tasks just to prove that she could. Worse yet, they all obeyed, often cheerfully.

"Gillette," she called down, "you had better go change. And take your officers with you. Tortuga ain't exactly the sort of place where red is in fashion, savvy?"

"I assure you I have no intention of going on shore."

She shook her head. "Fine, but you'd better plan on staying out of sight. If anyone in Tortuga spots a red coat they won't hesitate to attack. Now, I'm all for a good, old fashioned throw-down, but there is such a thing as asking for unneeded trouble."

Gillette glared at her, but he disappeared below deck with his officers following. "You know, you could take it easy on him, even if you do feel the need to torture me," Norrington remarked.

"Nah. More fun to torture both of you."

"Thanks. How long are we going to have to stay here?"

"Eh. I'll cut the deal with Cane tonight but he won't do it until tomorrow morning. We should be able to set off about midday. Listen, I want you to give the men leave as soon as we get there."

"No," Norrington said immediately. "Absolutely not. I need them here to guard the ship."

"That's what Gillette and his boys are for. Listen, they will love you if you do this. Follow you to the ends of the Earth or into the mouth of death if you ask."

"Half of them will be passed out drunk come noon tomorrow and the rest will be murdered. We won't have a crew left to get us back to Port Royal!"

"You've heard too many tails of Tortuga, and believed too much of what you've heard," she scolded. "It isn't that bad. Every man will make it back in time. I guarantee it."

"You know, you're developing a habit of asking me to trust you," he remarked.

"Yep. And you're developing a dangerous habit of taking my advice."

"If it's dangerous maybe I should stop."

"You have a pirate at your helm. I'd say taking my advice is considerably less dangerous."

"I'll think on it," he said as he watched the port approach, painted red by the setting sun. Gun shots reverberated over the water. "Are they fighting?"

Pearl shrugged. "Just the drunks coming out. Usually just firing into the air, although you can never be certain."

"Thank you. That's very comforting."

"Nothing comforting about Tortuga," she answered. "That's the charm of the place."

Pearl expertly pulled the ship directly up to the dock. Norrington found himself impressed and even Gillette could find nothing to fault in her procedures. Calling Gillette over as Pearl moved to help the men secure the ship to the dock he asked in a hushed tone, "Do you think you and the officers could keep the ship safe tonight?"

"I'd well imagine. Why?"

"I think the men would appreciate a little shore leave," he said, watching his men sending furtive glances toward the raucous town.

"You must be joking! We'd never see them again."

"Pearl thinks they will."

"And what if they don't?"

"Then we've proven Pearl Sparrow wrong," Norrington answered with a shrug.

An odd light came into Gillette's eyes and he nodded. "Why not? I'm certain we can hold the ship."

"Good man," Norrington said, moving to watch them finish securing the ship. As soon as it was done he called, "All right men. Anyone not here by noon tomorrow can seek other employment! In the mean time, do as you will!"

With a great cry the men rushed the gang plank. Several clasped him hard on the back as they rushed by. He couldn't help but smile at that. He'd never gotten such companionship from the regular crew. He turned to find Pearl beaming knowingly up at him. "Oh, shut up," he ordered.

"What? I'm simply awaiting your orders."

Chuckling he turned to Gillette. "Guard her well."

"You can count on it, Commodore."

Pearl fell into step beside him as he crossed the plank onto the dock. "Where is this smith of yours?"

"His shop is down there," she said with a wave to the right. "But the sun's set so he's sitting in The Whore's Sister."

"Sounds like a lovely place."

"It isn't," Pearl answered. "We always avoided it. Don't worry, I can handle myself. And you. I just don't go looking for trouble. Speaking of which, while we're here you're Edward. People might know your name and you definitely don't want to advertise who you are in this town."

"All right," Norrington agreed grudgingly.

They wound through the streets. Norrington was fairly impressed with his self-control, keeping his eyes firmly forward. When a group of men beside them decomposed into a pile of fists and grunts Pearl guided him easily around without missing a beat. Whores everywhere called offers. An extremely dirty man stumbled about, aiming a lazy pistol at them. Pearl brushed him easily aside.

It took him nearly three bocks to figure out that Pearl's walk had changed. She always had a solid walk, even on a ship rocking in a storm. She had long legs and tended to take long and purposeful strides that got her where she was going quickly. It had caught him a bit off guard at first simply because Ladies couldn't do such things in skirts--were taught not to, in fact. When he had first found her in pants he had expected her to adopt the swagger her father favored. That, he had come to realize, was probably a symptom of too much rum and too many years of being on a rocking ship more than dry land. Pearl seemed equally sure of step on either without a hint of her father's half-hazard stumbling.

Now, however, her stride was more purposeful than ever. Her head was up, eyes challenging, or perhaps warning, everyone they passed. He realized this was what the girl looked like when she was uncomfortable, which chilled him.

"Pearl!" They both turned at that. A woman in a bright yellow dress marched up to them. "You left!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Ruby. Trouble seems to be following me around. Oh, Edward, this is my sister. Ruby, Edward."

"It's a pleasure to meet-" he began but both women waived him off.

"He's a pretty piece. You ruined him for the rest of us yet?" the woman asked, eyeing him as if he were a piece of meet.

"No. I leave that to you professionals," Pearl shot back. "You're welcome to have a try at him if you can tolerate my company."

Ruby snorted. "No thanks. Visited Ma yet?"

"No. I'll get there," she promised. "We leave at noon tomorrow."

"I'll be sure to keep away."

"Love you too," she answered with a shake of her head as she grabbed Norrington and led him past her.

"You and your sister not on particularly good terms?" he asked.

Pearl shrugged. "She's jealous. It isn't fair that we were both born to a prostitute and she works the streets while I run off to sail on my father's ship."

"It's hardly your fault," he remarked.

"That doesn't make it any more fair," she answered. "We're here. Listen, just follow my lead. I know it'll be hard, but try not to say anything unless you're pushed into it."

He sighed heavily but nodded, waving his arm to indicate she should precede him into the tavern.

She did, pausing inside the door to take a careful look around. It was quieter than most taverns, which still wasn't saying much. The men were atrociously dirty, smelly, and most covered in an odd twinning of scars and tattoos. Tattoos and scars decorated the whores and wenches (mostly one was indiscernible from the other) as well. Pearl's eyes settled on a table in the middle the room containing a particularly dirty but largely unscarred man whose tattered shirt hung open as he held a rumpled-looking whore on his knee.

With a nod over her shoulder she strode up to the table. "Why don't you take a break, Bianca? Come back in ten minutes."

"And who do you think you are miss-" She stopped when she looked up at the woman standing over her. "Pearl! Of course, no troubles. I mean, you're hardly going to steal my business, right?"

"Right," she assured the woman who scrambled away. Pearl took a seat next to him, motioning for Norrington to sit as well. "I need to talk to you, Cane."

"You don't say? Do I bloody go out and drag you off yer boat?"

"It's a ship. And I wouldn't put it past you if you wanted something."

"That don't change the fact that I don't interrupt yer fun. Why you interuptin' mine?"

"Because I have a job for you. Work pays for play."

"Well, since you already chased my toy off sos I'm listinin'."

"I need a new rudder chain on a nice size ship, and I need it soon. I'm in a frightful hurry."

"I got plans for tonight."

"First thing tomorrow. We sail at noon. Take it or leave it, but you're looking at a good deal of gold. We want to pay for the chain, and you can have the broken one to fix and resell at your convenience."

He eyed her, considering. "I happen to have something as would probably do. It ain't the Pearl we're talkin' of I'd not be talkin' to you." He eyed Norrington. "And he's too clean to be your father's. Net yerself a good one?"

"None of your business. You'll do it then?" she demanded.

His eyes continued to rake her. "You know, Lass, I could just charge ya for the chain if you'd be me toy for the evenin'."

"I'd rather bathe in leeches, thanks. You'll be paid right and proper."

"All right. I'd wager I could have you all patched up by noon tomorrow. There is the matter of price. I could see clear to do it for a thousand."

Pearl laughed at that. "For a thousand you had best replace both chains and the anchor. I could see clear to paying two hundred."

"The raw metal to build a chain would cost more than that," the man argued.

Norrington listened to then heckle, trade insults, and offer various drinks and a good words to whores (Pearl apparently had some very talented friends) before they settled on a price. Norrington was actually fairly impressed with the price. He doubted he could have done much better in Port Royal himself.

"Half up front, o' course," the smith remarked.

"Not this time," she said. "We're a little light, courtesy of my father. I'll bring you the money when I get back in a few days."

"Ho, no. I have the money in my hand or you get no work," he ordered.

"I don't believe this. You know I'm good for it. You know my father is, or my mother. Surely-"

"Look, it ain't about trust. I knows you'll be back, but I'm a little light meself just now. I could use the coin straight up." She glared at him. "Listen, go ask Cork fer it. He'll give ya whatever ya want."

"Fine," she answered, voice hard-edged, "but I'm taking ten off the price."

"Now, lass-"

"No," she cut him off. "My time's worth something. If you're going to leave me running all over this bloody town you're going to pay for it."

"Fine!" he growled.

"Fine. Now, then, I'll go get your coins. You had best be sitting in this spot when I get back. No sneaking off with Bianca 'till you hear from me. Clear?"

"Crystalline," he spat.

"Good. Come Edward. We're going to go visit my mother."

Standing she marched heavily toward the door. "Who's Cork?"

"The man who owns the tavern my mother works in. He's always been partial to me. Closest thing I had to a father before Jack claimed me."

"I still can't believe he claimed you at all," Norrington remarked. "How old were you?"

She shook her head. "I was five the day I met him. Jack sidled up to my mother, started flirting. I was cleaning tables in the tavern. Cork paid me a little something to help out here and there. It wasn't 'till mother ordered me up to bed he even saw me." A grin softened her features. "He came right over to me. Kneeled straight in front of me, looked into my eyes, and said, 'Ain't that a sight?' Asked whose I was. Ma said I was her's, 'course. He asked me my name, and I told him–Pearl Staller, like me mother. He picked me up in his arms and told me my name was Pearl Sparrow. Pulled a necklace out of his pocket then and there and put it on me." She grinned, hand sliding to her neck. "God help me if I wasn't in love with him then and there. I've been told I didn't do too bad hookin' him myself. I'll never forget the tears in me mother's eyes."

"I never thought Sparrow would be that sort," Norrington remarked.

"He isn't. I blame Bootstrap– Will's father. He was forever blathering on about how he missed his son and his wife. Listen to that long enough the idea's bound to grow on you."

"I'd suppose," he remarked.

"Have you gotten there yet? The idea of wife and child and a dog by the hearth waiting for you starting to worm its way into your head?"

"A little, I suppose. That is why I proposed to Elizabeth, after all. What about you? Don't you ever wish for children?"

"Oh, no. Tortuga is no place to raise a child. And besides, I'm afraid I'll never see hearth and home as anything but a prison. I'm a different breed, you know. You're a noble and I'm a pirate. Give me a fast ship and water to the horizon!"

He shook his head. "You may some day change your mi-"

He was cut off by a sudden roar of "YOU!" A man rushed forward, grabbing him and shoving him against a wall with a knife at his throat. "I'll slit you're gullet, I will."

Suddenly the grey steel of a sword came into view, poised just under his chin. "No, you won't," Pearl's calm, hard voice interrupted. "Put him down, Nay."

"He's a bloody Captain, Pearl, in the British Navy."

"Actually he's a Commodore. I've guaranteed him his safety, Nay, as has my father. Put him down."

Suddenly Norrington recognized the man. He'd been attacking and sinking merchant vessels coming in from Spain and England. It had taken a truce with the Spanish Navy to catch him. Even then he had sailed off at the last moment, slipping through and disappearing.

"Now why should you do that? Is this yer new pretty-pretty? I'm sure Marden is mighty sad."

"My agenda is my own, Nay. I'm only telling you one more time, put him down or I take off your head."

"I'd manage to slit his throat."

"So you'd lose your life and I'd lose a Commodore. Who do you think would get the better deal here, Nay, because it sounds like me. You'd best listen to me. I'm more than able to make yer life miserable. I know every prostitute in this town, and a good three quarters of the pirates, includin' your crew. How does a good, ol' fashioned mutiny sound?"

"Y' wouldn't," he challenged.

"Have you ever known me to bluff?"

He shoved Norrington back, stepping carefully away. "Next time you won't be so lucky," he growled, turning to go.

"Anyone hears who he is I'm coming for you, Nay," she shouted after him.

Her attention was temporarily removed from Norrington, who was shaking with anger. The captain of a pirate fleet, one that had escaped him before. Not again. He strode forward, beginning to draw his sword.

Suddenly Pearl was in front of him, hand firmly on his closed fist, shoving his sword back into the scabbard. "What are you doing? I talk him out of killing you so you decide to try to prove me useless?"

"He's a pirate. He's pillaged a hundred ships."

"So have I. Are you going to bloody run me through?" she demanded angrily. "This is Tortuga. Every man in this street is a pirate. You're just going to have to learn to control your temper. Here, let me see this," she ordered, tilting his chin back to examine his neck.

"Thank you again," he said, trying to ignore how good her fingers felt on the soft flesh of his throat.

"For?"

"Saving my life again. You're becoming pretty useful. I might want to keep you around," he chuckled.

"Just stay with me. Before this trip is out you'll be singing a different tune. I dare say you'll live. It might bruise a bit but it isn't bleeding. Let's go find Cork," she ordered, turning to lead him through the filthy streets.

Rubbing at his throat he followed the girl. "Who's Marden?"

"What?"

"That man said Marden would be disappointed. Who's Marden?"

"Oh, him. A friend. One of my oldest, actually. Great man. Pirate."

"Maybe you could get married and sail the high seas together," Norrington suggested.

"That isn't possible."

"Why not?"

"Because I could never be his first mate, and he could never be mine. And even if we were both declared Captain one would have more pull and the other would resent it. Here we are. The Dancing Maiden. Home sweet home."

Author's Note: Okay, so that chapter wasn't as fun as some of the others have been, but there is a story line at work here and it needs developing from time to time. Next chapie will be great. Norrington meets the family, who aren't overly shy about telling him exactly what he should do with Pearl, and more trashy romance! Because I know that's what you're really after.

Now for everyone's favorite portion of the show, bribing the reviewers. So where did that leprechaun go?

Leprechaun appears, dragging a heavy pirate easily by the scruff of the jacket

"Rum!"

"Well, hello there. How was your trip?"

"RUM!"

"Yes, yes, rum. Let me just make sure you haven't killed poor Ja–this isn't Jack."

"RUM!" Small green creature begins jumping up and down

"This is not Jack Sparrow!" Looks down at the ugly, scarred, old, hairy pirate with kohl smeared around his eyes rather messily as if applied hurriedly by a small, green, mythical creature "This is Barbossa! I mean, ew! I said hot! On what planet is this considered hot?"

"RUM!"

"Well, I suppose if you drank enough rum..."

"NO! ME RUM!"

"You get no rum. You brought me the wrong guy. This is a disgusting undead pirate, you hyperactive excuse for an overgrown bullfrog."

"RUM!"

"You only get rum if you bring me Jack Sparrow."

Creature stops jumping up and down to glare at her "Little rum?"

"All right. Yes. I'll give you a little rum if you promise to bring me the right guy."

"Me promise. RUM!"

Hands him a small bottle of rum. Creature runs off, laughing maniacally "Wait! You have to take Barbossa back! I don't want him! Ew!" Pauses to stare down at the corpse on her floor. "Lovely. Wait, what did I do with that elf? Hey elf!"

"Yes, my Lady?"

"I told you I'm not a Lady."

"Apologies, my Lady."

"Right. Look, be a dear and drag this stinking thing out and dump it in some gutter or something, would you?"

"Yes, my Lady."

Shakes her head as she watches the elf drag him away "Not much in the way of brains, that one, but boy is he pretty to look at."

So review for you turn with Jack SOMEDAY. I promise!


	13. Propriety

Pearl 

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Not mine. Except Pearl. And the leprechaun. No one may steal my leprechaun!

The tavern within was considerably more cheery than the previous one. It was brighter in here, although still shadowy as all taverns. The patrons chortled loudly, most singing some bawdy song involving a whore named Lucy and her cat, as best he could tell. The prostitutes were pristine, painted and colorful in dress, flitting around full of laughter. Several people called hellos to Pearl the moment she entered. She greeted them all warmly, waving to those she couldn't reach and laughing with those she could trade a few words with.

"Pearl!" he heard several voices call at the exact same time to her right. Three beautiful painted dolls, all exactly alike, flew forward.

"Hey girls!" Pearl greeted warmly, kissing each on the cheek and wiping the white powder from her lips. "Are you working tonight?"

"Yes," they answered all together. "Any suggestions?" one asked, eyeing Norrington. "This one looks rich enough to afford us."

"Aye, and far too proper to buy you," Pearl answered. "He probably wouldn't know what to do with the lot of you."

"We could teach him," one suggested.

"No way, Tri. This un's mine, and if you see anyone else heckling him I'd thank you to remind them of that."

Three identical pouts greeted her. "You never share the cute ones," one said.

"Marden makes his own decisions, Di, and I'll not be held responsible for them. I'm looking for Cork. You seen him?"

"Behind the bar," one of the girls answered.

"You should see your mother though," another said. "Your brother's in town."

"And that wife of his isn't sharing," the third put in with a very pretty pout.

"Tass is here?" she asked. "Where?"

"Toward the back," one answered, all three pointing in unison.

"Thanks girls," she said quickly, plunging into the crowd and dragging Norrington after her.

"Who were they?" he asked.

"The triplets. Old friends. There isn't a girl in Tortuga as isn't jealous of them. They only work one night a week. You wouldn't believe what men will pay for them together."

"What do you mean together?"

She laughed, but didn't turn around, merely continued to pull him after her. "Pearl!" they heard to their right.

The girl surged in that direction, dropping his hand to wrap her arms around a round woman with the same flaming red. "Mama!" she cried. "Tass! You hulking stork of a man, get out of your chair and hug your sister!""

A man, who had been sitting at the table, put down the boy in his arms to stand and hug the girl. Leaning down suddenly he lifted her into his arms and spun her around as she laughed shrilly, wrapping an arm around his neck.

He was indeed a stork of a man. He was all tall and long, with lanky arms and legs wrapped in hard muscles and tanned to mark him a sailor. His face was bold and strong, dominated by a hooked nose. His eyes were blue and he had the same bright red hair as the rest of the family, really the only similarity between them.

"Aunt Pearl!" a little girl, perhaps ten years old, came rushing out to hug the girl as soon as the man put her down, followed closely by a little boy. Both had red hair and had a mass of freckles.

Pearl laughed, dropping to her knees to hug them both. "Oh, my little ones. I've missed you. And you, Bierdie," she called to a scowling woman still sitting at the table. The woman snorted and looked away.

"Aunt Pearl, Aunt Pearl, did you bring us anything?" the girl asked.

"Afraid not, little one. I didn't plan on coming."

"Not more trouble with the ship?" the first woman Pearl had hugged demanded.

"Different ship, different trouble," Pearl answered. "We cast off at noon tomorrow."

"You're spoiling me, spending so much time here. And who is this fine young man you've brought. Is he one of Jack's?" she asked with a friendly smile.

Pearl laughed at that, as did Norrington after a moment. "No, no. This is Edward. You remember the man as was after us?"

"The Commodore?" she asked in hushed tones.

Pearl nodded, motioning toward him. "Edward, I'd like you to meet my mother, Diamond."

"It is truly a pleasure to meet you, My Lord," she answered with a deep curtsy.

"Stop it," Pearl ordered. "He'll get a big head."

Ignoring her, Norrington bowed to the woman. "The pleasure is all mine," he answered.

Diamond drew back, blushing just a bit as Pearl sighed loudly. "This is my brother, Tass." The man nodded as he reclaimed his seat. "These are his darling children," she continued, hoisting the boy onto her hip as the girl looked shyly up at the new man from half behind her. "And that cheery woman over there is my sister-in-law. She isn't overly fond of me, but then I'm not overfond of her so it all evens out." Her eyes fell on the final occupant of the table. He was a boy about Pearl's age with a sweet face who was looking a bit shyly down. "And this handsome lad I don't know."

"He's mine," Tass put in. "Part of my crew. Doesn't know anyone in Tortuga so I brought him along. Name's Joseph, but we call him Flit. He's forever in the sails. Flies around like a bird, this one. Flit, this is my darling little sister, Pearl."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she told him.

He stared at her. "Are you really Jack Sparrow's daughter?"

"Contrary to my wishes, I'm afraid I am," she answered solemnly.

"I've heard he's bloody brilliant."

"He's also bloody insane," Pearl put in. "As am I. Consider yourself warned."

"I don't recall ever getting a warning," Norrington remarked.

"Poor baby," Pearl said. "Grab a seat. I need to talk to Cork. Would you lot mind watching him?" she asked with a nod toward Norrington. "Being who he is plenty of people would love to, you know," she said, making a cutting motion across her throat.

"Only if you change, lassy," Diamond told her, returning to her own seat.

"Mother, I haven't time for skirts," Pearl argued.

"I don't recall caring. Go change, girl. That's an order."

With a heavy sigh Pearl handed the boy off to her brother. "Come on Sirie, you can help me," she said, disappearing with her niece as the Commodore took a seat.

"Sirie?" Norrington repeated.

"Short for Siren. Named after her aunt. Have some rum," Tass suggested helpfully.

"So how are you enjoying my little girl?" Diamond queried.

"Ignore her," Tass ordered. "She's just having fits over the idea of a Commodore for an in-law."

"And what's wrong with that, I'd like to know?"

"Beyond him chasing me from one end of the sea to the other trying to hang me? Nothing at all."

"Oh, pish toss," she answered with a wave of her hand. "He'd never hang his own brother."

"I think I need more rum before we start really talking about this," Norrington remarked.

"I would have thought being around Pearl would thicken your skin," Tass remarked.

"It has," Norrington assured him. "More than I ever thought possible."

"Aye. Impossible takes on a whole new meaning around me dear," Diamond put in.

"That's Jack's doing, and no doubt about it," Tass' wife commented as she shifted her son on her lap.

"I don' know," Diamond put in. "She was mighty stubborn as a little lass, long before Jack ever met her."

"So it's in her nature," Tass put in. "But she could have inherited her nature from her father as well."

"Nay, nay. I think she got it from her Aunt Jewel," Diamond said.

"Well, that's a distinct possibility," he conceded. "So have you slept with her yet?"

Norrington spit the drink of rum he'd been taking onto the table. "I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, come on. You're sitting in a tavern with her prostitute mother and rum-runner brother. You can tell us," Tass said.

Norrington looked to Diamond, expecting her to put them straight. Instead he found her staring up at him intently. "You must be kidding!"

"I assure you, we aren't," Tass put in.

"Come, laddy, no need to be timid. You are a navy man, after all," Diamond said, patting him firmly on his shoulder. "There must be some goings on you've been party to as wouldn't be particularly appropriate."

"Not on my ship, I assure you," Norrington said.

"Not that you know of," Tass added. "Be glad yer workin' with us, boy," he remarked as he elbowed Flit. "Look what you'd be turned into in the Navy."

"I resent that," Norrington said. "There's nothing to be ashamed of in the Navy."

"There ain't nothin' to be ashamed of in havin' yer way with a willin' and beautiful woman like me Pearl niethers," Diamond put in.

"Regardless, I assure you I have not impinged upon your daughter's reputation."

Tass stared at him in apparent shock. "Why the bloody hell not?"

"What do you mean 'why not?' She's a pirate and I'm a Commodore. It wouldn't be practical, to say nothing of inappropriate."

"There's nothin' inappropriate about followin' yer instincts," Diamond answered. "If she wants you and you wants her there ain't nothin' about the situation as says anything but to go fer it."

"Wait. Who said she wants me?" Norrington asked.

"It's fairly obvious," Tass said with a wave of his hand. "Asides, yer handsome enough."

"All right," he answered, a bit unsettled at the thought. Certainly he'd known she was willing, but wanting was a different matter. "Who said I wanted her?"

The entire table burst out laughing. "You ain't blind man," Diamond said, "and my daughter ain't nothin' if not pretty to look at. That is to say, assumin' yer tastes don't run a different dirrection."

Norrington looked in her in confusion. "I don't follow."

"Another direction," Tass said. "Say, toward yer shipmates." Norrington continued to look confused. "Men, lad, toward men!" Tass finally burst out. "By heavens, it's common enough practice among sailors!"

"Oh!" Norrington suddenly turned a bright flaming red. "No, no. I assure you my tastes run in exactly your sister's direction."

"Then what's stopping you?" Tass asked. "She ain't askin' fer marriage, I can tell you that."

Diamond laughed. "Now that'd be the fastest way to see her run in the other direction."

"I don't know. I suppose the moment just hasn't been right." Once again the entire table was laughing, and once again Norrington was blushing hotly.

"Oh, you nobles and yer romantic ideas," Diamond wheezed out around laughs.

"What's so funny? Are you torturing Edward? Because that's my job."

He turned with a sigh of relief toward the sound of Pearl's voice. While hardly a shining example of proper manners her family made her look downright civilized.

He froze at the sight of the angel behind him. The pirate garb was gone, replaced by a shining white gown embroidered with thread-of-gold in a pattern of waves. The white made her tanned skin positively glow. It pushed a wide expanse of bosom into view. The arms of the gown from the shoulders down were slit open, held shut with a series of golden buttons on the top. The colorful beads were gone from her hair, replaced with ivory and gold to match the dress, standing out from the flaming red hair. Diamond earrings hung from her lobes in teardrop shapes, and diamond rings sparkled on her hands. A golden necklace graced her swan-like neck, a large white pearl set into the center.

"Yer mouth is hanging open," Tass told the Commodore, elbowing him as he stood to bow and kiss his sister's hand. "My fair Lady, won't you grace us with your beauty for a while before you flit back off to heaven?"

"I believe I have time just at the moment," she remarked as her brother led her to the seat between the Commodore and her mother. "I spoke to Cork, Edward. He's going to go give Cane the gold and a talking to he'll not soon forget. We'll set sail at noon tomorrow, rudder and all."

"Th-that's really excellent news," Norrington stuttered out. Pearl gave her mother a look as she turned a chuckle into a cough.

"Pearl, why haven't you slept with this excellent specimen here?" Diamond demanded.

Coming out of his stupor Norrington coughed. Pearl shrugged as if her mother had just asked why the table was brown. "It isn't for lack of trying on my part. The poor thing's shy. Don't worry, the night's young and we aren't in Port Royal yet." Laughing at the look on his face she added, "I need rum. Tass?"

"Oh no you don't. You can spend your own coin on your own drink," he told her.

"Please?"

"No."

She leaned closer to him, batting her eyelashes. "Please?"

"No."

"Ta-a-assss," she whined out.

"No, I said." He glanced over at his son, who was half asleep against his mother's breast. "Bed time!" he announced.

"No!" that awoke both the boy and the girl who had been standing quietly by.

"Yes."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the boy wailed.

"Oh, hush. Come, what if I sing a lullaby to you?" Pearl suggested.

The boy sniffled. "Promise?"

"Aye, I promise."

"Two?"

"Nay, you little pirate. Only one. Come," she ordered, holding out her arms.

The boy reached for her, clinging comfortably to her shoulder and pillowing his head against her bust. Norrington couldn't help but think how natural she looked with the babe in her arms.

"Need help?" Tass offered.

"Nope, I think I have it. Come on Siren. Edward, you're welcome to come as well. Mayhaps I can keep you out of trouble for a moment."

The table fell silent in astonishment as she turned to go. "She never lets anyone hear her sing to the little ones," Diamond told him in a quick whisper. "This is quite a compliment."

Norrington looked around at the other rather awed faces around the table, feeling butterflies stir in his stomach as he followed the call of, "Coming Edward?"

He followed her up a set of stairs in the back of the tavern. "My room," she remarked in passing as they moved passed a door. "Actually mine and Ruby's, but since she's staying out tonight we can sleep there." Her eyes suggested a good deal more than sleep.

He ignored that as he followed her into the room. "Light a candle," she ordered as she lay the boy down on the bed and the girl crawled in with him.

Pearl sat on the edge of the bed, grinning down at the little ones. Seeing her like that, glowing in her white dress in the murky light of the single candle he held, smiling down on them like some angel, Norrington thought for a moment that his heart would leap from his chest.

"So what's it to be?" she asked the children as they cuddled close together. Leaning over she took Norrington's hand and pulled him onto the bed to sit beside her, taking the candle from him to place it on the bedside table.

"Sweet dreams," the boy called.

"Now, is that fair to your sister?"

"I don't mind, Aunt Pearl," the girl said quickly. "I like that one, even if it is about a boy."

"You're certain?" she asked. The girl nodded and Pearl leaned down to cuddle close and whisper, "You're such a good little girl, my Siren." Kissing her cheek she straightened. "All right. Are you ready?" The children nodded eagerly.

Leaning close to the boy she began singing in little more than a husky whisper, "Dragon tales and that water is wide, pirates sail and sea gulls fly, fish bite moonbeams every night," she leaned closer to whisper into his ear, "and I. Love. You."

Straightening she suddenly unleashed her voice. While she still sang softly with a sense of familiarity the song wrapped around the room, brushing them all in a gentle embrace.

"Godspeed, little man. Sweet dreams, little man." Suddenly her voice rose higher, an angel's voice brushing them as tenderly as any feathered wings, "Oh, my love will fly to you each nigh on angel's wings. Godspeed. Sweet dreams."

The boy stared in wonder up at his aunt, candlelight reflecting in eyes big as plates, making them shine. Pearl grinned in the moment she took to breath, letting the notes fade from the air before beginning again. "Captain Archibald's all tuckered out. The admiral's asleep in my arms. Goodnight moon, don't mind the mouse, and I love you. Godspeed, little man. Sweet dreams, little man. Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings. Godspeed. Sweet dreams."

She grinned down at the boy before glancing over her shoulder at Norrington. He could only imagine how he looked, an odd cross between awe and surprise on his face. It made her grin wider as she turned back to the boy who was grinning sleepily up at her. "God bless Mommy and ships from far. God bless Daddy and thanks for the stars. God hears 'Amen' wherever you are and I. Love. You." She pulled the covers up close. "Godspeed, little man. Sweet dreams, little man. Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings. Godspeed. Sweet dreams."

With a final smile she kissed the children each on the cheek, took the candle, and slipped silently from the room.

"How did you do that?" he asked, still in awe, as he followed her down the stairs.

"Do what?" she asked innocently.

"Sing like that. I had no idea."

"Few do," she told him. "It's sort of an unofficial secret. Can I trust you to keep it to yourself?"

"Sure, although I can't imagine why," he answered. "You're going to make an amazing mother some day."

Pearl laughed. "No, I won't. Never. I can't have children. Tortuga is no place to raise kids, and a pirate ship isn't much better."

"You did well enough growing up here."

"Yes, but knowing what I went through I'm even more certain that I would never wish to put a child through that."

"But, you must want children. I mean, you are a woman."

Pearl laughed outright at that. "Yes, and we all love to sew and knit and curtsy and fanny about saying things like, 'I want nothing more than a clean house,' and shriek and run away at the sight of mice and pirates," she told him sarcastically. "Edward, I'm not an upstanding example of anything, least of all womanhood, but you can't make a generalized statement like that about a group of people. Any group of people. Pirates, for example."

Norrington fell silent out of pure confusion if nothing else as she led him back to the table. "All tucked in. I'm going after some rum. You stay," she ordered Norrington before turning and flouncing away.

Norrington shook his head as he dropped into a chair. "What'd she sing?" Tass asked.

"Godspeed. I didn't know she was so religious," he remarked.

"She isn't," her sister-in-law put in.

"Doesn't mean she doesn't want for our children what she hasn't found herself," Tass put in. "Asides, she says it reassures the kids and keeps her in their thoughts. That's one o' my favorites."

"You in love with her yet?" Diamond asked with a laugh.

"Dangerously close, I'm afraid," he sighed. "And wouldn't that be a hazard, seeing as how pirates don't love?"

"Oh, bullocks," Diamond said. "She talks big, but look how soft she be when it comes to her father. That lass loves with all her heart, and don't let her ever tell you different."

"I don't think anyone ever LETS Pearl do anything," he remarked.

"And don't you forget it," he heard behind him. Pearl appeared, grin larger than usual which, he was finding, was a sure sign of trouble.

Setting her bottle on the table she turned, flipped her skirt, threw one leg over Norrington's knees to straddle him, and he found himself with a lap full of the beautiful woman.

She leaned forward, placing her arms on either side of his head to brush her fingers through his hair, giving him a very nice view of her assets.

"Let's dance," Tass suggested suddenly, leveling his wife to her feet.

"You too, scamp," Diamond ordered, grabbing the wide-eyed Flit and dragging him onto the dance floor.

Norrington stared up at her, wide-eyed. This had to be the most...provocative position he had ever been in with a woman, at least in public. Lord, her skirt barely covered her thighs!

"Pearl, what are you doing?"

"Giving you an invitation, Tortuga style. See anything you'd like to...sample?"

A nasty spark lit her eyes as she leaned closer, nose brushing his, then her lips-

"No!" He pushed back hard, standing and catching her in his arms before he could knock her to the floor.

"Pardon me?" she asked.

"Pearl, this isn't right?"

"What isn't right?" she asked.

"This! You, me, like this."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, anger rising in her voice.

"It isn't proper, is all," he struggled to explain.

"Hang proper! You're in Tortuga! The whole bloody town is built on a lack of 'proper.'"

"It doesn't matter. Don't you see that Pearl? It doesn't matter what I wear or where I am or what you wear. I'm still who I am. I'm still a Commodore and you're still-" He stopped just short of making the biggest mistake of his life, the fire in the hellcat's eyes before him making him step back.

"I'm a what?" she demanded, following him.

"You're a, that is, a young, a pirate-"

"I'm a whore," she hissed into his face as a table blocked his steady retreat.

"I didn't say that," he objected.

"You were going to," she answered. "Don't worry, Norrington, I can fill in the blanks as well as the next lass. I'm just a bloody whore, far too bloody dirty for you to be bothered with. You're too good for any but the likes of Elizabeth Swann. Some bloody soft, empty-headed, well-bred lass to dangle on your arm and show off to your friends."

She turned suddenly, stomping away from him. "Pearl, don't, please," he begged, catching her arm.

She stopped, glaring down at his hand. "Best not touch dirty whores, Commodore. Don't know where they've been. Hate for you to catch something." With that she pulled out of his grasp and stomped onto the floor.

He considered following her, but stopped when he lost sight of her. Sighing heavily he settled down at the table, taking possession of her rum. If ever he needed a stiff drink it was now, even if it did taste like tar.

It only took moments for Diamond to come striding up to the table, plant herself into the chair next to him, glare at him hard enough to boil his rum, and demand, "What the bloody hell did ye do?"

"Made a mistake, I'd wager," he answered.

"Aye, ye did that. What'd'y say?"

"Nothing!" he answered defensively. "She wouldn't let me get in two words together."

Diamond continued to scowl at him. "It makes no matter, although I'd wager you called her a tavern whore loud and clear to her face."

"I didn't! If she would stop putting words into my mouth!"

"Aye. Well, you walk a mile in that lass' shoes and see if you ain't a might defensive an' all. So now you need to fix it."

"Me?" he repeated. "I didn't do anything! I'm a bloody--" he stopped to lower his voice before continuing "--a bloody Commodore. She took over MY ship!"

"Aye, but she's a pirate. An' she gave it back, and is doin' her all to see you safely home, which be against her pirate nature sure enough. Besides which, you're crazy about her." He opened his mouth to object but she waved him off. "Don't lie to me, laddy. I'm a whore, and we learn a good deal more than actin' and pleasin'."

He frowned at the last, glaring into his rum. "What do I have to do?"

"Think on it, laddy. Raised among pirates and prostitutes. What's the one thing ye could do as would catch her off her guard? To shock her long enough for you to get out what ye need her to hear?"

He shrugged. "Apologize, I suppose," he said with a harsh laugh. But Diamond wasn't laughing. On the contrary, she was looking at him very seriously. "You must be joking!"

"It's up to you, laddie. Depends on how fond you've grown of me daughter I suppose. Yer alternative is sittin' here drinkin' yerself stupid like some common pirate. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a belly to fill and that'll take customers."

He sighed as he watched her waltz away. Bloody hell. The pirate comment galled too.

He stood and strode out to the dance floor. A single man stood on the stage, playing the fiddle for all he was worth as the crowd thronged around him. It took him several minutes to find her dancing with the pretty little Flit. Dancing was being generous. It was more like pressing herself wantonly against him as he swayed, scarlet as he gazed at the beauty before him.

She leaned forward to whisper something in his ear that turned him an even darker shade of scarlet. As she pulled away she met Norrington's eyes. Grinning and raising one eyebrow she pressed forward to seal Flit's lips with hers.

Growling under his breath Norrington strode quickly forward. Grabbing her upper arm he wrenched her away from the youth. "Best be careful. The last man as touched me like that ended up short a few teeth," she warned.

"I'll take my chances," he answered. "I need to speak to you."

"Go talk to a wall, it'll get you just as far," she snapped at him. "I've nothing to say to you."

She started to turn away but he retained his grip. "I must insist."

"You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming," she answered, pulling her arm from his grasp.

"Fine," he agreed. Moving quickly he bent to scoop her over his shoulder and carry her quickly toward the stairs as she shrieked. She beat at his back all the way up the stairs and into the room she'd pointed out as hers.

He dropped her, making sure she was steady on her feet before releasing her to lock the door. "You DARE!" she cried.

"Yes, I do," he answered. "Obviously. Now you're going to sit down and listen to what I meant to say."

"What makes you so certain of that?" she demanded.

"Because if you really wanted to get away from me you would have," he answered. He knew he had her backed into a corner on that account. She would never admit that she was too weak to escape him, which was proper enough since he had no doubt that she could have beaten him to a bloody pulp if she had wanted to.

"A mistake I can easily rectify," she answered, sweeping toward the door.

"I'm sorry." She stopped, hand poised on the lock. "I'm sorry if I suggested that you're a whore. You aren't. I know that. I've told you that before." She turned slowly, confusion written on her face. "Do you forgive me?" he asked helpfully.

"I'm not sure," she answered. "I mean, I don't, I've never--"

"Just say yes," he suggested.

"All right, I forgive you," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I have plenty more I can hold over your head."

He groaned inwardly. "I suppose that'll do."

"Is there anything else?" she asked, the heat of anger still in her voice.

"What more do you want?" he demanded.

"For you to wake up," she replied. "To stop going on about 'proper' and just do what you want. I mean, don't you want me? Heaven knows I want you."

"Of course I want you. A blind man would want you. I'm not made of stone."

"Some days it's hard to tell," she answered. "So." She moved smoothly across the room to stand in front of him. "So, should we get to it?" The nasty twinkle was back as she moved to press herself against him, her lips seeking his.

"Pearl, please," he said, stepping out of her arms. He moved across the small room, standing next to the straw pallet on the floor covered in tangled sheets of varying colors and materials. He was fairly certain there was silk in there somewhere.

If that was less than comforting so was her continued proximity. It was a small room, various miss-matched patches of cloth and bright bobbles messily attached to the wall seemingly at random, making a brightly colored mix of colors that nearly hurt the eyes. The pallet took up most of the room, a small, cluttered desk and trunk were the only other pieces in the room. He was as far from the girl as he could get without standing on the bed and there was barely two feet between them.

"What?!" she demanded, frustration coloring her voice. That close he felt the full heat of her anger.

"I don't want it to be like this."

"Like what?" she asked, anger edging her voice. "And if you start going on again about some whore-"

"I never said anything about any whore," he pointed out. "I just don't want it to be a one-night thing. I don't want to cheapen what this is."

"What what is?" Pearl demanded.

"I don't know. Whatever's between us." He took the two steps to stand before her, taking her hands in his own, gazing down into her confused eyes. "I love you Pearl."

Her eyes widened and she took a step back, pulling away from him. "Don't say that."

"Why not? It's true," he assured her, following.

"No, it isn't. It can't be," she turned her back, confusion swirling in those deep eyes.

"I assure you, it can. Pearl, I have to ask you something very important."

She turned suddenly, hurrying around him to sit on her pallet and pull her knees up tightly to her chest on the bed. "No. Don't Edward, please."

He followed her, sitting next to her. "Pearl Siren Sparrow, would you marry me?"

She shook her head. "I can't."

"Why not?!" What was it with women turning down his marriage proposals? Did he have 'reject me' tattooed across his forehead?

"It wouldn't work, Edward."

"Of course it would. We'd make it work."

"Edward, we couldn't. Not for long. I'm sure it would work at first but after a while I'd start missing the sea and I'd get snappy with you and you'd start spending more time at the office to avoid me and dallying the maids-"

"Pearl!" he cried.

"And in the end I'd either abandon you to sail away or kill myself. And you deserve better either way."

"Pearl, you can't know that," he argued.

"But I do," she answered. "And you do, deep in your heart. I told you I'd waist away if I were taken from the sea. That hasn't changed."

"Maybe we could work something out. You could, I don't know, run off with your father every few months," he suggested.

"Edward, you're a Commodore. Think of the rumors. And if anyone ever found out you'd have to either hang me or be ruined. It's sweet of you to think of all this, but there just isn't any way. If it makes you feel any better I think I'd love you if I let myself."

He laughed roughly. Now it was his turn to look away, staring down at his hands. "It doesn't."

"I know. And I'm sorry. But even if we can't have, you know, forever, there is still tonight."

"Pearl, I don't want to treat you like some whore. Some one-night fling."

She shrugged as she inched closer. "So treat me like a pirate. Take what you can."

"Give nothing back," he finished for her. "But that doesn't make it right."

"Wrong. It doesn't make it proper. I don't mind telling you, at this moment, to my way of thinking, there is nothing more 'right' in the whole of the world." She leaned forward, nose barely brushing his. "Tell me I'm wrong. That you feel differently."

"I can't," he said, breath catching in his throat at the sight of desire burning in those eyes.

"Then show me I'm right," she demanded. And just like that she was in his lap again, skirt riding up her thighs as she leaned forward to capture his lips in a searing kiss. And in that moment Commodore Norrington was lost. There was only Edward, with a demanding woman he had wanted since he first met her pressed against him. He twisted, trapping her beneath him on the straw mattress , kissing his way down her neck.

Author's Note: Well, there you go. Long chapter so I don't want to hear any complaints. And it was about time this happened, wasn't it? The song is from the Dixie Chick's new album, "Home." I can't say it's as good as "Fly," but we are talking the Chicks so I can't argue. I changed the words a lot to fit the historical perspective. I just had to get Pearl into a motherly mode. She was registering a little too butch for my liking. I hope you didn't hate it.

Slight warning: It's all downhill from here. They're going to head home soon which means I'm wrapping up the story. No screaming.

Now, since I'm through that, I need to get back to bribing you all into reviewing. So where is that leprechaun? "RUM!" Ah, here he is.

CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow enters in all his glory with a small green thing hopping up and down on his shoulder.

Me: "Wow. You walked in here all on your own?"

Jack: "Well, this little guy said you promised him rum."

Leprechaun: "RUM!"

Me: "You mean he said more than three words in a row? I'm impressed."

Leprechaun: "RUM! ME RUM!! NOW!"

Me: "Yes, you may have your rum now that you Finally got it right." Goes over and opens the closet door, allowing the creature to attack the pile of rum.

Jack: Rubbing his hands together and eying the rum thoughtfully "About that, luv."

Me: "You're out of rum, aren't you Jack?"

Jack: "Just a wee bit?"

Me: "That's why you came here, isn't it? You thought maybe you could get some rum too."

Jack: "What can I say, luv? I'm a predictable sort."

Me: "I wouldn't say that. But of course you may have as much rum as you want."

Jack: Starts to grab some rum but pauses, looking suspiciously up at me "What's the catch?"

Me: Grins "What makes you think there's a catch?"

Jack: "Call me a suspicions sort. What've I got to do?"

Me: Points to reviewers "Take care of them. Fulfill their every need."

Jack: Carefully studies the gathered, salivating reviewers "All right. They're a pretty enough lot. Rum first.

Me: "Help yourself." Watches the man begin fighting with the leprechaun over the rum."

Jack: "We'll split it 90/10. 'Course I get 90 since I do all the work."

Leprechaun: "MINE!"

Jack: "All right, 80/20"

Leprechaun: "MINE! ALL MINE! MINE RUM!"

Jack: "70/30, and that's final."

Leprechaun: "MINE RUM!"

Me: So there you have it, my fine reviewers. Review and you get a turn with Jack. And I didn't even have to lock him in the closet.

Jack: "OW!"

Me: "Bad leprechaun! No biting! Don't worry, reviewers. I won't ask the same of you" Wink wink


	14. Morning Light

Pearl 

Disclaimer: Not mine, dang the luck.

He sighed as Pearl shifted in his arms, tugging sheets up over their sweety and steadily cooling bodies. "That was--" He paused, trying to find the words and failing utterly.

Pearl chuckled, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "My thoughts exactly."

Rolling away she wrapped a sheet around her bust and grabbed a mug which sat beside the bed, drinking deeply. In the flickering candlelight Norrington caught sight of an odd shadow falling across the back of her exposed shoulder. Reaching up he caressed the spot, then leaned up quickly as he realized he was feeling scars. "Don't," she objected, trying to pull away from his touch, but it was too late. Sea-roughened hands turned her shoulders so he could see her back in the meager candlelight. Scars crisscrossed her back in an ugly tangle of welts that seemed almost to make a bizarre maze. His fingers grazed them tenderly, as if they might still pain her.

"Pearl, who whipped you?"

She shrugged with a deep sigh. "I told you Bootleg took his own revenge." She reached back to scratch at a scar that ran up to her shoulder as if she could remove it.

Norrington shook his head, tracing the scars with his fingers, letting what he knew from his history with such things fill in the gaps. The scars were fairly thick. Assuming she'd been well cared for, doubtful as that was, she would have been bed-ridden for several days. It would have taken a great deal of luck for her to avoid a serious fever. The scars themselves were well-healed so this had to have been at least a year ago. She couldn't be more than eighteen now. "When did this happen? How old were you?"

"Two years ago," she answered, voice flat. "I was sixteen."

He shook his head, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "I wish I could protect you from this."

"Well I don't," she told him resolutely. "I won't be caged, Edward. I'll take whatever scars I'm given in return for my freedom and wear them with pride." She fingered a deep cut across her left arm, probably an old sword wound. There was scar on her shoulder that suggested a bullet. These were the least of the scars that decorated her body. She must have endured a great deal of pain in her relatively young life. Pride was it?

"You know, pride is a sin."

She snorted at him. "And piracy isn't? I think I've done enough in my life to see myself good and well damned by the Almighty. I'm not going to worry over a little pride."

He turned her head so he could gaze deep into her amber eyes. "You're the oddest woman I've ever met."

"Thank you. Now, Commodore, if you feel you're up to it, the night isn't over and there are still a few more sins I'd like to commit."

"Loving isn't a sin," he began to argue.

"Ah, but we aren't married, darling, and that makes this a sin. Don't worry. You can 'Hail Mary' your way out of it later. I want to dirty you up some more first."

He started to argue but she silenced him with a kiss.

Suddenly he turned away, coughing heavily. "What the bloody hell did you drink? It tastes awful!"

She laughed. "Mead. Acquired taste I guess. Come here, let me get your mind to other things," she ordered.

Norrington sighed as he awoke the next day. The slim, warm form in his arms echoed him, shifting against him. "Morning," she muttered.

"Already?" he asked.

"Well, we were up late," Pearl reminded him, propping herself up on an elbow to gaze down at him, fingers running lazily over the dusting of hair on his chest.

He grinned at the memory. "You know, I'd well believe you're a siren."

She chuckled, leaning off the bed to scoop up his Navy hat and place it on her head. It tilted, covering one sparkling eye as she gazed down at him. "Well, you must have some magic of your own because I'll tell you, it's against me personal code to sleep with members of the British Navy. Especially Commodores."

"I should count myself lucky then," he remarked, trying to pull the hat from her head. She dodged easily, chuckling. "That's a capital offence, you know, stealing an officer's hat."

"Yes, whereas opposed to piracy, which is nothing," she laughed. Leaning forward she placed the hat firmly on his head. "Come on and get up. We need to make sure Cane is there and doing it all properly."

Norrington moaned. "I'd rather stay in bed."

"Not my call. Come on, the ship needs you," she ordered, standing to stretch.

Before she could move Norrington grabbed her and pulled her back down onto the bed with him as she shrieked. "I need you more," he whispered into her ear, nibbling at the soft flesh.

"Well, I am sorry then, because we have to go," she told him, passion only tinging her words a bit.

"You're really going to push this?" he asked in disbelief.

"There's one thing more important than loot and pleasure to a pirate," she answered.

"Their ship?" Norrington guessed.

"Got it in one," she remarked, tapping his nose. "I knew you had the makings of pirate in you. Aye, their ship. See, we ain't the British Navy. Your ship goes down you can't just go out and commission another. And you gotta treat her with respect or she'll stop taking care of you."

"So, let me get this straight. Rather than staying here comfy and warm in this bed with me you want to go stand on the ship and yell at some dirty old smith."

"No. Rather than stay here with you I NEED to go see to the ship. As do you." She left the bed yet again to get dressed. "Are you certain you're a Commodore?"

He laughed. "After last night with you I'm not sure what I am." With a groan he pulled himself out of bed to get dressed. "Where did my bloody shirt go?"

Grinning sheepishly Pearl grabbed it from off of a sconce on the wall. Norrington shook his head as Pearl shrugged. "I was anxious to get it off."

He looked at her askance. "Do all of your arguments end in bed? That's how all of ours seem to end."

"Can you think of a better way?" she asked with a saucy grin and a flick of her hip.

"Not really. I should count myself lucky I still have pants. After the swim you sent my Navy uniforms on I would think you would have caused enough damage to satisfy even a rascally pirate like yourself."

Grinning like the devil herself she drew close. "We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot." Laughing melodically she spun around the room arms wide. "We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot!"

Laughing Norrington moved forward to capture her in his arms before she could make herself too dizzy to stand. As it was she stumbled in his arms. "So have I been pillaged, plundered, or ravaged?"

She giggled, pressing close. "Oh, Edward, why only one? Why not all three?"

He laughed, just enjoying her proximity. "Oh, Pearl."

"Ask me to marry you again and you'll never be ravaged by the likes of me again," she warned.

"As long as I still have the pillaging and plundering," he chuckled before growing serious again. "Can you blame me? How can you not want this for the rest of your life?" he asked, resting his forehead against hers.

"Because it wouldn't be like this for the rest of our lives," she answered. "I'd be wearing skirts and after a while I'd smell like powder rather than salt and fresh air. We'd be surrounded by marble and cotton, not cheep wood and silk scarves nailed to the walls."

"It wouldn't matter," he told her.

"It would," she argued, pulling out of his arms. "Time to be off."

Pearl led him down the stairs where a fair number of revelers were still up. "It's bed time now," she told the wide-eyed Commodore as she led him over to a table containing her mother and sister.

"I'm going to the ship now," she told them. "I'll be back in a day or so, so don't worry."

"Oh, you know tellin' me that don't do any good. You take care of her, Edward," Diamond ordered as she hugged her daughter.

"As much as she'll let me," he answered.

"Bye Ruby!" Pearl cried, throwing her arms around her sister. Ruby grunted grumpily. "I'll miss you dearly!"

"Good riddance," Ruby grumbled out as she pealed her sister's arms away from her.

"Love you too," Pearl said as she led Norrington to the door. "Thanks Cork," she added as she passed a graying man who stood at the bar wiping off the counter.

"Thank me by payin' me back," he answered.

"Two days," she promised with a laugh. "Well, congratulations Edward. You've nearly made it out of Tortuga alive."

"A miracle, isn't it? I survived a whole night," he said.

"Indeed. How many Commodores can say that?"

"Not many, I'd wager. Not that any would brag about it."

"I would," Pearl put in.

"Yet another good reason you aren't a Commodore."

"That and the pirate thing," she said cheerfully. "And the fact that I'm a woman. And--"

"All right, I think we've safely established that you're not a Commodore," he interrupted. "Isn't that one of my men?"

She followed his look and nodded. "Oi! Match!"

The man turned as if he had been bit. Spying them he waved and stumbled over to them. "Not so loudly, please."

"Have an enjoyable evening?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, indicating his ragged, dirty clothing.

"Aye, it is," she answered.

"What about you?"

"Oh, we had a HEAVENLY time," she gushed, hanging on Norrington's arm.

Match raised an eyebrow as the Commodore turned a lovely shade of red. "Is that a fact?"

"Aye. You really should have come. Ruby would have loved to see you," she said, poking at his side suggestively.

"I don't doubt it," he answered. "I had ideas for other entertainment last night."

"Indeed. Plan to sleep it off until we cast off?" she asked him.

"Aye. I'll be up and ready when we cast off, Commodore," he assured Norrington.

"See to it that you are," he answered as they stepped up onto the ship.

Gillette approached them, still in his ordinary garb. The way his face twisted it was as if wearing anything but his uniform were physically painful. Pearl giggled as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "You look lovely this morning. White is really much more your color."

Gillette sighed, pealing her arm from around his shoulder and turning to Norrington. "All is well, Sir. We had an uneventful night."

"Good," Norrington said. "You haven't seen the smith yet?"

"Not yet, Sir, although half the crew are below deck sleeping."

"I told you," Pearl chirped. "The rest will turn up before we take off."

Norrington nodded. "I'm starting to believe you. Do you want to go drag Cane out here?"

"Nah," Pearl answered with a wave of her hand. "I wasn't specific about when he should be here. I'll give him another hour or so. Why don't you go check out the ship? I'm going to commune with my brother," she said with a nod toward the sails.

Norrington looked around the deck. "Tass is here?"

"No, not my real brother. I'm going to check on the weather," she told him with a laugh.

"Oh, right," he agreed, watching her climb into the billows.

"We should get into Port Royale about sunset if the wind holds with us," Gillette reported. "Then we can be rid of the scamp and put this whole thing behind us."

Norrington nodded, his throat closing in on itself as he watched her climb into the billows, trot to the edge of the sail, close her eyes, and lean her head back to catch the full force of the warming sun. It would be easy to believe her an Aztec Goddess. Or perhaps an angel.

"I beg your pardon, Sir?" Gillette asked.

Norrington realized suddenly that he'd said the last part aloud. "I said we must have had an angel watching over us."

"Indeed," Gillette agreed. "Surviving a night in Tortuga is something worth giving the Lord praise over."

"Come, I need to make a circuit of the ship," Norrington ordered.

He returned above deck to find Pearl and Cane arguing heatedly. Before he could go find out what was the matter, however, Cane stomped over to the chain he had brought along and got to work.

"What was that about?" Norrington asked as Pearl's sharp eyes followed the smith.

"Wanted more money, surprise surprise. I've talked some sense into him. Everything in working order?"

"So it would seem. Can we expect fine weather?"

"All the way to Port Royale," she promised.

"Three quarters of the crew is asleep below already. We may leave with a full crew yet," Norrington remarked.

"You will. After we get underway I need to talk to you in your quarters. We have to come up with a story for when we land in Port Royale. Oi! Cane, this ain't a chit-chat session. Get to work!"

With Pearl on his tail Cane finished early. After another argument with Pearl–no doubt about money yet again–he went on his merry way. The whole of the crew was slumbering below by that time despite the fact that they were nearly an hour early. When Norrington commented that he wouldn't mind setting out early Pearl disappeared below deck and returned with a bleary-eyed crew. He wasn't sure how she got them above, and was fairly certain that he was happier that way. A few grumbled complaints but harsh looks from Pearl silenced them immediately.

Gillette stood beside him as he supervised the preparation of the ship from the helm. Pearl was among them, working as hard as any of the muscled crew, joking with them. "I hate to say this, but she would make a fair captain," Gillette said.

"Indeed. What is the world coming to? A girl of eighteen a good captain?"

"Wonders never cease," Gillette said with a shrug. "I'd never believe I'd be spending a night in Tortuga, or that anyone could tell the weather by feeling the wind on their face."

"She's fair miraculous, to be sure," Norrington agreed.

"I will say this, things will be less exciting when we're rid of her."

"That it will."

"Commodore!" the source of their conversation called. "The ship's ready to go anytime you want to take us off."

"All right men. Let's head home," he ordered.

Surprisingly enough Pearl let him take the ship out of port, helping the men work the rigging rather than making attempts at usurping the helm.

Once they were out to sea Gillette left to change into 'proper clothing.' Pearl snorted as he left. "When he gets back we can go have that discussion," she told Norrington, settling down on the stairs near the helm, the picture of relaxation as she closed her eyes and leaned back against the wooden railing, one leg propped up next to her as the other hung lazily down.

She remained that way as Gillette stomped back up, still in his regular clothing, with the rest of his officers behind him. "YOU!" he roared at her.

"Since I'm too lazy to open my eyes I'm just going to assume you're talking to me," Pearl remarked with a yawn.

"What did she do?" Norrington sighed.

"All of our Navy uniforms seemed to have mysteriously disappeared," Gillette ground out.

"Oh yeah. I meant to tell you about that. I was carrying them across the room when I tripped and they flew out of the window."

"There aren't any windows in any of our rooms," Gillette told her.

She nodded. "Well, that is a mystery then."

"Pearl!" Norrington scolded. "What exactly are we supposed to tell our superiors in Port Royale?"

"I'd blame it on Jack, but that's just me," Pearl answered easily. "Can we go have that chat now?"

"I suppose. Take the wheel, Gillette. Let's go," he ordered, leading her down to the cabin.

She snagged one of the extra chairs in his cabin and settled into it with her legs over one arm and her back leaning against the other, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. Her coat had been abandoned at some point and the shirt fell back against her, outlining her curves as clearly as the breeches did her legs. He swallowed convulsively. It was worse than before, somehow, now that he knew those curves by heart. He didn't think he'd ever forget the feel of her skin under his fingers.

"Do you have a plan then?" Norrington asked as he settled carefully at his desk.

"Naturally. Okay, I was thinking that you could say that you found the Black Pearl and Jack invited you on board. You immediately saw the Turners and they both told you that they were fine, assured you that Jack was doing nothing piratitcal, that they were just going sailing with him for a while, and they had no intention of returning home. Bethany Maltrey, on the other hand," she said, waving her arms in a rather Jack-like fashion, "was completely unharmed but terrified, as any Lady of breeding who had been kidnaped by pirates would be.

"Now then, you did intend to do all that you had to to return the stolen Turners but Jack did threaten to open fire on you, Elizabeth and Will were both refusing to go back with you, Elizabeth and Bethany were both begging you to take Bethany home, and you didn't want to involve the Ladies in a fight. So you agreed to take Bethany home, threatened to hunt Jack down and kill him if anything happened to the Turners, and set out. Will the Navy buy that?"

Norrington nodded thoughtfully. "I'm certain they would. After all, seeing to the safety of the Ladies and obeying their wishes would be my foremost duty. The only problem is that you would have to pretend to be the terrified Lady."

"You've seen my acting skills," Pearl said. "It won't be a problem."

"Good," he said. "I'm glad to have that settled. I'll let the rest of the crew know the plan."

He stood to head toward the door when Pearl nodded, but stopped when she asked, "Where are you going?"

He paused to turn to look at her. Her eyes were open, half-lidded with sleepiness as she gazed up at him. "To tell the crew," he answered. "Feel free to sleep if you want," he added, waving toward the bed.

"I have a better idea," she remarked, standing to approach him.

"What's that?" he asked.

"What's that?" she parroted with a chuckle, twisting her arms around his neck and pressing her body close. "Why don't you join me? Pillaging aplenty, I promise."

He understood suddenly that it hadn't been sleep clouding her eyes, but lust. "Pearl, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"I think it's an excellent idea," she purred, kissing and nipping at his neck as her leg began creeping up...

He had to close his eyes, fighting a groan and rallying his strength. "Pearl, we aren't in Tortuga anymore."

A warning flashed through his mind as her eyes narrowed. "So?"

"So things are complicated now."

"They don't have to be," she argued.

"It isn't as simple as that."

"What you mean is now that you're on the ship you're ashamed of me. I understand." She turned away from him suddenly.

"Nothing could be further from the truth." He strode after her, catching her by her shoulders. "Pearl, you're the strongest, most capable woman I've ever met. I didn't know there were women like you out there. You're everything I ever wanted without knowing it existed."

"It's easy to say," she replied. "Your actions would suggest otherwise."

"That's easy enough to fix," he said. Catching her chin in his hands he claimed her lips, kissing her deeply and passionately. Desperately he poured out all of his want and need into her, all of his worshiping and loving her. And she responded, taking his arm and tugging him toward the bed.

He sighed, following grudgingly. "You're going to be the death of me," he informed her.

"Ah, death is only tragic if life hasn't been lived to the fullest," she informed him, tugging off his shirt. "Any regrets, Commodore?"

"Only one," he answered, stilling her hands. "The most beautiful, magnificent, wonderful woman in the world refuses to marry me."

"Well, if I ever meet her I will tell her she's a silly git. In the mean time you have a very talented pirate lass to fill your bed."

He opened his mouth to argue, only to find her demanding lips cutting off his objections as she pushed him roughly back onto the bed and divested herself of her shirt. After that Edward Norrington had very few thoughts in his head, and none of them had anything to do with marriage.

Author's note: Mwa ha ha. Everyone happy? Any complaints? Didn't think so. So be nice little reviewers and review. As an added note: Whoo hoo! Over 100 reviews! I love you guys. If you're very good I'll even let you take Jack home for a while–just a while! I'm get a bit annoyed with him anyway. If he suggests my elf is an enoch one more time I will be forced to smack him on the head. No worries, he's hard headed. Not that head you sick, sick reviewers! I can hear your dirty thoughts from here. What's that? I put them there? And I must be sick too if I know what you're thinking? Hmm, you may have a point. But I don't recall saying it was a bad thing.

Here's a question for anyone who's still reading this. Why on earth is Norrington always the bad guys in these fics? I mean, he lets Jack go at the end of the movie. Granted he needs to loosen up a little but he's obviously a good guy at heart.


	15. Aproaching the End

Pearl 

Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Not mine. Pout

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long and it's so short. It's been torture writing this lately. Not because I don't enjoy it. I wouldn't want you to think that. It's because I know the story is coming to an end. tear One more chapter after this, I think. The good news is that I have an idea for a sequel running around in my head. We'll see what the Fanfiction Gods foretell, shall we?

"What are you going to do when we get back?" Norrington asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Pearl asked as she tugged her shirt over her head and began tightening the lacings.

"You refuse to marry me. What are you going to do when we get to Port Royal?"

"Well, deliver Lizzie's letter. I suppose I'll have to fanny about a bit and gush to everyone about how you saved me. Then I'll catch the first ship that'll have me back to Tortuga. If all is well I'll be home by this time tomorrow."

"Just like that?" he asked.

She shrugged again as she pulled her coat on. "Easier said than done. Why?"

"I had just hoping you may have reason to hang around for a few days," he answered.

"Not really. I'll be later than Jack expects getting back to Tortuga as it is. Why would you-" She stopped, looking back at him. "Oh. Oh, Edward, you can't be serious. A few days in your mansion wouldn't convince me. You can't change my nature, Edward, and you're only going to be hurt if you try. In fact, the sooner I leave the better for you."

"Don't think that," he said quickly, moving across the room to cradle her face in his hands. "Please don't think that. The sooner you leave the longer I'll hurt."

She pulled away to cross the room. "I wish you wouldn't say things like that, Edward."

"Why not? They're true. And you're very fond of telling the brutal truth. In fact, for someone so obsessed with avoiding regrets you're certainly willing enough to leave me with mine."

"I didn't ask for that," she shot at him. "In fact, I told you I wouldn't love! I warned you, so don't you dare try to blame your unhappiness on me!"

"I'm not. I'm just saying we can't all run around claiming not to care about people because of our jobs."

"Is that a fact?" she asked. "Well, I guess it depends on your view of things."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"It means I may be a pirate. I may rob and pillage sunup to sundown, but I don't kill people if I don't have to. I don't take my rules and set myself so high that I'm willing to kill others for not following my personal philosophy. Don't get me wrong, I've killed plenty of men in my life, but never when they didn't deserve it. Never when they hadn't hurt me, or threatened to. I don't hunt down and hang good men for a living. I just live with the fact that this could be my fate, or my father's, or the fate of almost all of the men I've ever cared about. So perhaps you should consider little things like that before you go accusing me of leaving others with regrets."

With that she turned and slammed up onto deck, satisfied that she had ended the conversation. After all, he could hardly carry on a lover's quarrel, even a philosophical one, in front of his crew.

"Port Royal ho!" the man called from the crow's nest. Norrington couldn't help but smile as he gazed at the approaching land. Another mission successful, at least by most standards, and he was home again.

Gillette came to stand next to him. "Where's Pearl? The first thing we'll be asked is if the Ladies are safe."

"She'll make her appearance when she's good and ready," Norrington answered. "That girl runs on her own time, no one else's."

"Indeed, but when she does appear it's well worth the wait," a voice announced behind them. They turned to find Bethany Maltrey standing there in all her glory. She wore the same blue calico dress she had worn the day she was 'kidnaped,' her brown wig looking slightly untidy, no doubt the wind's fault. White gloved hands wrestled a large straw hat onto her head as she tied the thick white scarf beneath her chin. "Nearly there?"

"Indeed," Gillette said before Norrington could say anything, eyes shouting a challenge. "Are you certain you can do this?"

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't," she returned. "Are you?"

"Separate corners, both of you. She had us reasonably well fooled before, Gillette. I'm sure she'll do fine."

"Think of it this way," Pearl suggested. "You could lose your jobs over this. If they find out who I am, it's my neck in the noose. I'd say I have good reason to do this right."

She drew close to Norrington, slipping her arm through his. Her demeanor was entirely different suddenly. There was a levelness to her walk that had been missing from her strong stride, as if she were accustomed to moving about with a crown balanced on her head. Her head remained down, eyes carefully regarding the floor, only furtive glances meeting his gaze. Now this was the woman the people of Port Royal would be expecting. A flighty, somewhat withdrawn and obviously frightened girl clinging to her hero.

"Gillette, take the helm," he ordered, placing a hand on Pearl's arm. "The harbor scout will want to speak with me, and it wouldn't hurt for you to be nearby."

"It never does hurt, me being near you," she remarked, striding carefully along beside him. At his odd look she added, "Sorry. I think it's the skirts. Men aren't the only ones that get odd ideas around them. Maybe that's why I don't wear them more often."

They moved to the prow. Pearl couldn't help but grin into the wind on her face as she reached up to keep the hat from being pulled off of her head. She hummed quietly under her breath.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Hmm?" she asked.

"The song. What is it?"

"Oh, an old song my father used to sing to me. Wind and sea and open sky. Sun on my face and sail by my side. Life divine set to a song. Whispering wind lead me on." She sighed, shaking her head. "'Tis exactly the sort of song that Bethany Maltrey would never know, let alone sing. I had best watch myself."

"You could say you picked it up from Jack when you were kidnaped."

"Oh, nay," she answered quickly. "I spent the entire voyage locked away from the roughiens. I only thank the good Lord above that they were happy enough to leave me to myself." Reaching down she gripped the gold cross that hung between her breasts. "In truth Elizabeth 'twas my only companion. I was sorry to see her so grieved by my distress, but I fear there was naught I could do but fear for my life."

Chuckling Norrington pulled her close, putting a protective arm around her shoulders and kissing her forehead. "Rest easy. You're safe now, and the ordeal is nearly over."

The harbor patrol caught up with them quickly. "Do you ever make them chase you?" Pearl asked as they watched the ship approach.

"No. Why would I?"

Pearl shrugged. "For the fun of it. You could say you were testing them."

"Pirates," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Thank you," she replied with a grin that faded quickly as the ship drew lose.

"Commodore," the man at the prow of the ship next to them greeted with a salute.

"Captain," he answered with a nod. Pearl realized he was one of the officers she had been introduced to the night of the Turners' wedding.

"I see you have recovered Miss Maltrey successfully," he said with a nod to the girl. She returned the nod, adding just a touch of curtsy as she clung to Norrington's arm, shrinking back as if to disappear behind him. "May I inquire as to Miss Swann's whereabouts?"

"Still aboard the Black Pearl, I'm afraid," he answered. Next to him Bethany squeaked at the sound of the name, gripping his arm more tightly and moving closer to him. He patted her arm soothingly. "Elizabeth is well. And stubborn as ever. I have a note for her father. I will explain it all when we land."

"Very good, Sir. I shall go inform the Governor of your approach."

Norrington nodded, and the smaller ship sped ahead of them toward the docks. "That was pretty good," he remarked.

"It isn't terribly hard. Really, I don't have to say anything. Just cling to you and make sad little puppy noises."

"'Sad little puppy noises'?" he repeated.

She nodded, then began whining as she lay her head against his arm. He laughed, shaking her off, went to oversee Gillette as he brought them in, Bethany hovering behind him.

As soon as they were docked Bethany appeared by his side, clinging to his arm again as they disembarked. Governor Swann was waiting for them in the cobbled street, and Bethany released the Commodore to run up to the man, throwing her arms around him. "Uncle!" she cried. "I am so happy to see you!"

The Governor was obviously off balanced by this, but he managed to pat her comfortingly on the back and reply, "And I you, my dear. Although I was hoping to see my daughter as well."

The last was addressed to Norrington, who only shrugged. "She was insistent, Sir, as was your niece. She needed to get away from that dreadful place, and your daughter refused to leave. Miss Maltrey has a note for you."

"Oh, yes," she said quickly, withdrawing the piece of paper. "She was very insistent that I get this to you as soon as possible. I nearly fainted when she began railing at the pirate for stealing her away without allowing her to give you notice." She giggled. "There is little doubt that Elizabeth will not be taken advantage of on board that ship."

"No, I dare say not," he answered, ripping quickly into the letter and reading it. He sighed as he folded it back up. "It is most certainly her hand, and written in her voice. It appears she is happy enough, and safe. Apparently all we can do is wait." He offered his arm to Bethany. "Come, dear, let me take you home. You must be exhausted after your ordeal."

Pearl saw Norrington's eyes widen just a bit. He hadn't counted on the Governor stealing her away from him. Luckily, Pearl had.

"Forgive me, Uncle, but seeing as how I was abducted from your home, and that the good Commodore did rescue me, and has been ever the gentleman, would you be terribly upset with me if I spent the remainder of my stay at his home? It would not be long--I have a cousin to the south marrying as well and I swore I would be there. I plan to depart soon as possible. I would not have you insulted, Uncle, but--"

"No, no my dear," he said quickly. "Wherever you are most comfortable. It seems you have made quite an impression on my dear niece, Commodore."

"How could he not, rescuing me from pirates and all?" she said, lowering her eyes and blushing as would be expected.

"Indeed," the Governor agreed. "Well, I have pressing matters to attend to. I am sorry to see you go, my dear, but perhaps we shall see you again soon?"

"Not overly soon, I would not think, but perhaps," Bethany agreed.

"Very well. I shall have someone deliver your things to his home. Well then, good day and should I not see you before you depart, have a safe trip."

"I shall. Thank you Uncle," she answered as he bowed and left the two alone.

"Bravo," Norrington remarked.

"Thank you, thank you," she answered with a deep curtsy and flourish of her arm much like a player on the stage. "Do you have to stay to secure the ship?"

"No. Gillette can do that, although I should report to my commanding officer. Do you want me to leave you at my house?"

She turned thoughtful eyes on the docks. "I should see if there's a ship departing tonight."

"Tonight?" he repeated.

"Indeed. The sooner the better. Why do you look so shocked?"

"I just thought perhaps you would spend one more night here. That I would have one more night to say goodbye to you."

"Edward," she sighed out. "It would be considerably better for both of us if I were to leave as soon as possible."

"I think I know what is best for me a bit better than you do," he argued.

"I would disagree with that," she answered. "But if you're going to be insistent I can't pretend I wouldn't like to spend one last night with you. Very well. Take me to your home. I'll change and sneak down to the docks. No one is ever going to believe I'm a pirate in these clothes. I will find someone departing tomorrow morning."

"Thank you," he whispered, kissing her hand before tucking it under his arm and leading her toward his home. "Just be careful you don't get caught."

"No worries. I'm exhausted from my trip, and any servant that disturbs my sleep shall find something very hard and possibly pointy flying toward their head."

"Please don't wound my maids," he requested.

"I won't, so long as they behave themselves," she answered with a toss of her head.

Author's Note: So what do you think? One final night and I wash my hands of this story. Anyone think I should do a sequel? Let me know. Poll by way of reviews. Besides which, reviews are my bread and butter. My life force. And all of my reviewers are amazing people. Don't you want to be amazing people?

Oh, I nearly forgot. Since they are so interested in him I want to give Dodge-This the nasty little leprechaun. He annoys the heck out of me anyway. Where is that nasty red-headed rodent?

Jack walks in with the leprechaun on his shoulder drinking from a miniature bottle of rum

Me: Um, Jack, I need that thing back.

Jack: What're you going to do with my newest pet?

Me: Give it away. It's obnoxious.

Jack: But that's his good point. Asides, I've been trying to teach it to talk for me.

Leprechaun: RUM! Burp

Me: I see it's working. Jack, you don't need it to talk for you. You still have your tongue.

Jack: Never hurts to be prepared, luv.

Me: In this case, it can. He bit me yesterday! It still hasn't healed.

Leprechaun: Meh he he.

Jack: He says he won't do it again.

Leprechaun looks at him like he's mad.

Me: No he hasn't, and he won't. I want that thing out of here.

Leprechaun: Holding up empty bottle RUM!

Me: No more rum for you. I want you out. Your new owner will decide whether you get rum or not.

Leprechaun: RUM!

Jack: Don't be cruel luv. Let me keep him. You won't even hear him. I promise.

Me: I had better not or he's dog food. Got that?

Leprechaun: RUM!

Jack: Come on, little guy. I'll get you some rum. You can have some of mine.

Sorry Dodge (may I call you Dodge?) looks like you're out of luck. Oh well. If he bothers me too much I'll get insistent and force Jack to hand him over.


	16. The End Tear

Pearl 

Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Disney can have everyone else but Pearl is MINE! And they'll just have to square with that some day.

It was late when Edward Norrington returned to his home. The government officials had forced him to repeat his story over and over, and then sit there as Gillette did the same thing. They had seemed to believe them, in the end, and had agreed that they had done the right thing. Getting the money for the rudder chain that evening had taken some doing, but he had managed it.

He tossed the bag in his palm thoughtfully. He hoped Pearl would get it to the proper recipient. He had reason enough to believe that she would. After all, if a Tortuga tavern owner had been willing to lend it to her she had to be trustworthy. Even the smith had refused out of need rather than a lack of trust. And in the end it didn't really matter. If the money never turned up they would go after Pearl. They would never have any way of tracking him down.

He paused in his steps at that thought, appalled by how much it sounded like a pirate. Memory of Pearl proclaiming he would make a good pirate nipped at the back of his brain, but he pushed it away.

Midge, the round, motherly woman who kept careful track of the maids in his home, met him at the door. She had been his nurse when he was young, and a close friend of his mother's. Now she was all he needed of a mother, and more than he wanted most days.

"That chit of a girl is in yer room," she announced as she took his coat. He nodded. "You be careful," Midge warned. "She'll break your heart, this one."

He smiled at the kind woman, worry shining in her eyes. "She already has," he answered. "Don't worry. She sails out tomorrow. She can't cause too much more damage."

"I don't know what she's told you, Sir, but that ain't no Lady."

He smiled again. "She's told me the truth, Midge. And, as always, you're exactly right. She isn't a Lady."

"Then what is she?" Midge demanded, trailing behind him as he made his way toward the kitchen.

"You have to promise not to tell," he ordered as he picked up a knife and began hacking at the chunk of ham his cook had left out for him. His servants were used to leaving him to get things for himself. It had taken him ten years of insisting on doing just that to convince them.

"Who would I tell?" Midge demanded.

Norrington shrugged as he took the plate full of ham over to the table and sat, indicating Midge could do the same. She did, after pouring him a glass of wine. "She's a pirate. You'll remember Jack Sparrow? She's his daughter."

"Pirate?" she repeated.

Norrington nodded. "Good actress, isn't she?"

"A bloody pirate? In my house? In your house?!"

"Midge, calm down, please. She isn't here to cause trouble. If she were I wouldn't have brought her. She's sailing out tomorrow."

"I should count the silver," Midge remarked.

Norrington laughed. "She isn't after our silver. She isn't after anything."

"Aye, I think she is. She's after your heart. And she'll misuse it, mark my words."

"I already offered her my heart, Midge. She's refused it. She'll leave tomorrow morning, we'll still have all of our silver, and no one will be the wiser."

"If you say so, Sir," Midge answered with a sigh. "I do trust your judgement."

"Thank you," he said, finishing off the wine. "What's she doing?"

"Reading. I tried to keep her from your library, but she was insistent. Do you wish me to go remove her from your chambers? I've prepared a guest room for her."

He shifted uncomfortably. The woman was going to throw a fit, but there was no use trying to hide it from her. She knew everything that went on in the house. "No, Midge. She will be, that is, spending the evening in my chambers."

He knew he was bright red as Midge stared at him in shock. "You'd best be teasing me, boy."

"I'm not," he assured her. "And I'm no boy. I haven't been in a very long time. Don't look at me like that, Midge. I'm not doing anything wrong." He couldn't help but think of how ironic it was that HER family had been so much easier to deal with. "The thing is, I would prefer it if the maids didn't gossip over this."

"Don't you worry about that, Sir. Every lass in this house will do exactly as I tell them, and all the lads as count. I can't say that I approve, but you are your own person. And I can't begrudge you any happiness you may find, after what that awful Elizabeth's done to you."

"Elizabeth isn't awful. She's just following her heart. We can't blame her for that." He looked longingly at the door. "And I'll marry soon. No, not Pearl. But I'll find someone. You need someone to help you run this house."

"Just as you say, Sir," she answered. "I just wish you to be happy."

"Thank you, Midge," he said as he strode toward the door.

He found her in his room, stretched out on his bed wearing her night gown, deeply involved one book or another. Two more lay beside her on the bed.

Norrington strode over to pick them up. "Pope, Kent. Satire. Why am I not surprised?"

She giggled. "I may be creative but it never hurts to read the masters. How did your meetings go?"

"Fine. They seemed to believe us, and agreed that we did the right thing. Here's your money," he added, showing her the bag before laying it on the table.

"Thank you," she said. "On my behalf, as well as Cork's."

"Be sure to thank him on our behalf as well. Did you find a boat going to Tortuga?"

She nodded. "Wasn't hard. There were several I knew. I found one that's captained by one of Jack's old crew. Was protective of me when I was young so he'll take good care of me now."

"I'm glad to hear it," Norrington said as he dug through a chest. Finally he straightened with a quiet exclamation. "Come here. I want you to have something."

She came forward slowly. "Edward, you know you shouldn't."

"You shouldn't worry so much about should and shouldn't. You're a pirate, remember?"

She laughed. "Well, you have me there."

Going around behind her he looped a gold chain around her neck and fastened it, brushing her hair fondly out of the way to lay the clasp against her neck, placing a kiss next to it.

She fingered the bobble, picking it up to look at it. It was a bird, so intricately carved in the soft metal each feather was visible. A small ruby served it for an eye, a large one for a wing, and several more small ones were set into the tail. She gasped. "Oh, Edward. It's beautiful. A Phoenix?"

He nodded. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather see wearing my crest."

"Like the woman it was originally intended for?" she asked, fingering the cold metal.

"What do you mean?" Norrington asked, blush evident even in the meager candle light.

"You didn't have enough time to have this made just for me. I don't care, Edward, but out of curiosity, who was it originally intended for?"

"Elizabeth. I meant to make it an engagement present. I would make it an engagement present to you, if you would let me."

Pearl rolled her eyes and shook her head while heaving a great sigh. "Edward, I'm going to have to start hitting you if you don't get the message soon. I'm the wrong sort. You should find someone, soon, more befitting of this." She glanced down at the bird around her neck. "It's ironic, you see. The Phoenix is a being of myth. It lives in the lands of Gods. It isn't meant for the likes of meager sparrows." She smiled up at him. "I dare say the sparrow would be consumed by the fire."

"We aren't birds, Pearl," he interrupted.

"We may as well be," she told him. "The fish may love the bird, but where would they live?"

Norrington sighed, striding forward to take her in his arms. "We aren't fish, either. Is there anything, anything at all, I could say to get your consent to marry me?"

"Yes," she answered.

Surprised, he pulled back to look into her amber eyes. "What?"

"That you were giving up your Commodoreship and wanted to come with me to join Jack's crew. Shed your pretty feathers," she said, pointedly fingering his red coat, "and take on the dull grey."

"Turn pirate?" he asked. She nodded. "Pearl, you know I can't do that."

"I do know that," she answered. "But you asked." She smiled up at him, slipping her hands beneath the folds of the coat. "Come, Commodore, no more of these gloomy thoughts. The night is too short as it is and you've kept me waiting far too long."

Edward Norrington awoke the next morning to sunlight streaking through the window over his bed. It took him a moment to remember where he was and what had happened last night. He smiled at the last part, rolling toward his bed-mate. "Pearl, my dear, I believe you've ruined me for all other women."

No answer came, either in the form of a sharp-tongued remark he'd come to expect from her or a warm embrace. In fact, the only thing that greeted him was a cold bed and the sound of parchment crinkling under his arm.

"No." His eyes flew open, darting around the room. "Pearl, no."

There was no sign of her. Her pirate clothing, lain out on a chair the night before, was gone, as was the small leather bag containing the money for the chain. So was the trunk the Governor had sent over as well as her bag and case containing her fiddle. All that remained was the sheet of paper crumpled beneath his arm.

He snatched it up quickly. Pearl's handwriting--neat and formal as any man's, totally lacking the curly italics he was accustomed to from women--crossed the page beneath his hand.

There's no use in my telling you not to be angry because you will anyway so I won't bother. You might have expected this, if you'd thought on it. Pirates aren't any good at goodbyes, and I'm no exception. This is easier. For both of us, before you start calling me selfish.

The boat left at dawn. Judging by the fact that you didn't even stir when I left I'd wager it's well past that time now. I couldn't leave you without a final word, however.

You take care of yourself. Be safe, be well. Marry a beautiful, fragile flower of a woman. It's what you deserve.

All of the love I have to give,

Pearl

He turned the paper over in his hands in shock. That couldn't be it. He was supposed to get a chance to say goodbye. One last chance to convince her to stay, to marry him and be happy. She wasn't supposed to just disappear on him.

Getting up he paused long enough to pull on breeches before he threw the window open and stared down into the harbor. The sun was indeed well over the horizon. He looked south toward Tortuga. Maybe it was best. It didn't really matter, because it was what was. And he should have expected it. It was her way.

"No regrets," he whispered into the breeze.

"Good morn, Commodore!" he heard below. He looked down to find Margaret Neats, the rich young sister of one of his officers, waving to him.

He waved back with a smile, careful not to lean too far out. The window was high enough to keep her from seeing anything but his bare chest, but even that could be considered inappropriate. Hidden from sight by the curtain as he was, he knew he was in no danger.

She was pretty enough, a fragile flower if ever there was one. The very picture of Pearl, if he thought of it. Slim with long red locks. He was hardly ready to go speak with her father, but it was enough like fate to give him pause. "No regrets," he repeated thoughtfully, returning to his rooms.

The End.

Hey, relax! Did I ever promise you a happy ending? No. I would have noticed if I did because I would have known that I was lying. I mean, come on. I clearly said no Mary Sue. The bottom line is, I couldn't do it. Pearl would never settle down and I wouldn't be being fair to the character if I made her. And Norrington can hardly turn pirate.

But who said this had to be THE end?

I'm hoping Pearl's grown on you, as she has on me. So I'm taking a poll by way of reviews. My current poll seems to suggest that you would like a sequel, and I admit that I am planning on it. If anyone wants to make sure I do write a sequel review and let me know. The latest round made me so happy! I can't even tell you how happy so I won't try.

I promise, since I've gotten a lot of reviews on this, that Jack would be in the sequel, and Elizabeth and Will. I just felt like Jack has such an overpowering presence it would be hard to develop a character with him around. Pushing him out of the picture sort of gave me a chance to let Pearl bloom (not that I think she would let her father keep the spot light too long or too often). But since she's now well developed I will Definitely have Jack around.

As for the leprechaun, well, I want to settle this once and for all. I've decided.

Jack: Running in with a maliciously grinning leprechaun on his shoulder Good news, luv.

Me: What might that be?

Jack: I've solved you leprechaun problem.

Me: That's funny because I was about to–wait. How have you solved my leprechaun problem?

Jack: Well, the little lad's Irish you know. Leprechaun starts rubbing its hands together in glee So he has a big family.

Me: I don't think I like where this is going.

Jack: So I brought in his family.

Door suddenly bursts open and a wave of green and red bouncing leprechauns come through, including a certain blond elf crawling with them.

Me: AH! Jack, what have you done?

Jack: Gotten your reviewers leprechauns. Now I can keep my wee lad.

Me: And where is he going to go when I KILL YOU?!

Jack: Better men than you have tried, luv.

Me: Ah! Reviewers all take one, quick. Heck, take twenty! I don't want any left. But you get no leprechaun if you don't review. Quickly I said!


	17. Just notesdon't panic

Epilogue 

Or rather just a little not from your friendly author. So much great feedback deserves some answers don't you think?

First off, I must give one blanket answer. To everyone turning up their nose at my leprechauns and trying to steal my elf, you're mean. I mean, I tried to give you a leprechaun. And you're trying to steal my most prized possession? On the other hand, you did review my story. And you did say you liked it, and Pearl. So I suppose I should be a nice, accommodating person and offer the services of my elf as well. After all, I don't think it will drain him. He is immortal and, I would imaging, rather, ahem, inexhaustible. So I will lend my blond elf out to anyone as long as they promise not to go pirate on me and steal him...if you read and review my sequel! Ha, you thought I was nice or something. Nope. I'm evil. Pirate, savvy? I think I've been around Jack too long. On the other hand you can't have too much of a good thing. And Jack is a very good thing. Hee hee. So read my sequel! I plan to post it right after this so no excuses.

One other thing. If you liked Pearl you MUST read Meeting His Match by PineAppleLint. It's a Jack story, so you'll like it. And beg her to write her sequel.

So, moving right along, to all of my readers whom I love dearly:

Calex: Glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Hopefully the sequel will make you feel better, although I will warn you that things don't go a lot better for good old Edward.

SweetA.K.: Yeah, I saw that movie too. It was good for a laugh, particularly when the possessed midget shifted into super speed. Shutter

Trisana: Edward will be in the next one. And Pearl does get a break from him, but you don't see it. I hope this is soon enough for you. And maybe you had better protect the tribbles from the leprechaun, if you catch my drift. As for your loyalty to Jack, he doesn't strike me as a one-woman-man to me, so I don't see why you couldn't enjoy yourself in the company of the Commodore. If you can get past his morals, that is. And I don't know about Pearl controlling Jack's rum intake. She's more likely to join in just to prove she can drink him under the table. You can take the girl out of Tortuga...

Kit: read sequel, get elf.

Lady Lily9: Um, I'm really glad you liked the story. Something tells me you're going to be a little upset when you read my sequel. Just keep in mind that I'm a slave to the characters, and it's never too late for everything to turn out happily every after, even for these two.

Dodge: Glad you like the leprechaun. So do you want my elf or my Jack? Read the sequel and let me know what you think! I look forward to continuing to hear from you.

Mia: Sorry it was sad. I promise a reunion, although it won't be what you think!

Storm13: I'm glad you agree. Thank you!

Carn: Thank you. Will do. Hmm...that gives me ideas. Wait, Elizabeth. Never mind.

Plasmolysed: Your name is really incredibly hard to spell. I look forward to hearing from you some more too.

Michaela: glad you'll enjoy the leprechaun, although I find they grunt a lot more than they actually speak, with or without an accent.

Galux: Take 8 leprechauns, please! I look forward to hearing from you!

Captain Cheesehead: I shall frame your artwork and hang it on my wall and treasure it forever. Thank you!

elleagionleas: You must take a leprechaun just because your name is so dang hard to spell. If you give it enough rum it will probably go away, eventually. Glad you agreed with the ending.

OrcaGirl: You're another one I look forward to getting continuing reviews from. I always look forward to seeing your name. Read up.

Whew! I made it! If you didn't see your name, sorry but I tried. I can only do so much, and this is valuable time I could spend writing the sequel. Or doing homework. But the last one's unlikely. Rest assured that I appreciate you all.

So the story is entitled "Braving the Flames" Fitting, right? It will be even more so when you start reading. So have a good time! And happy Turkey day all!

The unendingly grateful Marvel


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